A Susurration of Immaturity
by Acri
Summary: (A Whisper of Immaturity) A reporter by the name of Arilana Nodoka gets to know the Kaiba brothers. She was transfered to the U.S. and then back to Japan, to face heartbreak. Will destiny lead Nodoka and Seto together? Or is she to be alone?(Complete)
1. Arilana Nodoka

(A/N: I only own Arilana Nodoka and Mira! Enjoy!)  
  
Chapter 1 Arilana Nodoka  
I slowly entered the newly opened Kaiba Land. Who'd have thought that Mr. Seto Kaiba was such an egomaniac. oh wait; I made that conclusion before I came. Hehehe. I turned around and saw several reporters being shoved out the door. "I better not let them know I'm a reporter," I mumbled to myself. I walked around for a while until I came to the duelist arenas. "Oh wow. I haven't seen this before, I've heard of it, but never seen it. Holographic dueling arenas!" I wandered around until I came to an arena where two kids were dueling it out.  
  
"I play Suijin in attack mode! And this card face down!" The boy in the red station said.  
  
"I play Succubus Knight in attack mode, and I'll play this card face down," said the other boy in the blue station.  
  
They were both at 1200 life-points. "I wonder how this is going to end," I whispered to myself.  
  
"Suijin attack!"  
  
"Not so fast! I play acid trap hole! Suijin go bye-bye."  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Oh yes."  
  
I stood there, truly amazed at the engineering of Kaiba Corp. "Seto Kaiba, truly a genius," I mumbled.  
  
"Oh, thank you. My brother Seto really is."  
  
I froze; I hadn't thought that anyone had heard me. I turned toward the voice and looked down. "Um, hi."  
  
"Hello," said the boy.  
  
"You're Mokuba Kaiba?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, and you are?"  
  
"Um. hold on a moment, I think I forgot my name." I said scratching my head and laughing. Mokuba laughed at me. "Ah! Now I remember. Arilana Nodoka."  
  
"Took you long enough," Mokuba said.  
  
"Well sorry," I said sarcastically. "It's not everyday I meet someone like you."  
  
"What do you mean by someone like me?" He started to take offense.  
  
"I mean a rich little dude with. hey, nice hair." I said.  
  
"What?"  
  
I knelt down and looked him in the eyes. "Oh, can I touch your hair?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Please. It looks so soft." I said.  
  
"Um, alright, I don't see a problem with it," Mokuba responded. Mokuba turned around and I ran my fingers through his hair. "Hm. It is soft." I stopped and Mokuba turned back towards me. "You gotta tell me your secret!"  
  
"Lather, rinse, repeat," Mokuba laughed.  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
"Very serious."  
  
"Wow. I wonder why it doesn't work for me." I stood up.  
  
"When you shampoo, leave it in for three minutes, same with the conditioner."  
  
"I'll have to try that," I said. "Thanks for the info."  
  
"Hey, Arilana," Mokuba asked softly.  
  
"Call me by my last name, Nodoka. I respond to it better," I said.  
  
"Nodoka, you want to meet my big brother?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Would I! Of course, but." I looked down at my clothes. "I'm not dressed properly."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, I can't go up to the wealthiest person I've ever seen dressed like I came from a birthday party."  
  
Mokuba laughed. "You really take things too seriously don't you?"  
  
"Oh. I do, don't I?" I laughed.  
  
"Anyway, you look fine. You don't have to get all dressed up just to speak to my brother."  
  
"Um, are you sure?"  
  
"A little self conscious aren't you?"  
  
"Very."  
  
"Come with me," Mokuba said. He took my hand in his and led me through a back hallway. At the end of the hallway was a door. Who'd have thought? Mokuba opened the door and walked inside, I followed. Seto was sitting at a desk at the right wall working on some kind of contraption.  
  
"Mokuba, close the door," Seto said. Mokuba closed the door behind me.  
  
"Seto, I want you to meet someone," Mokuba said.  
  
"Not right now Mokuba. I'm kind of busy at the moment."  
  
"That's alright Mokuba, I'll come back another time," I said. "See ya later." I opened the door and walked out. Right before I closed the door behind me it opened up fully and Mokuba came out.  
  
"Sorry, I just thought that he might want someone to talk to, he's been working for seven hours straight," Mokuba said.  
  
"Oh, that's alright. Oh and you can tell him that if he just wants to speak to me, he can do that at school. I'm being transferred," I said.  
  
"Really? Cool."  
  
"Hey Mokuba, I'll see you later, I gotta get home." I walked out of the hallway and into the main area. I yawned and walked outside.  
  
When I arrived home, I walked upstairs and wrote my article for the newspaper.  
  
Who'd have thought that Kaiba Land would be so much fun? Definitely not me, I wouldn't be caught dead in a place like that. So when I was assigned to do a report on the establishment, I complained. But when I arrived, I couldn't believe my eyes. I would say it is a well thought out establishment. It is truly a place for those that have a duelist's soul. From what I saw, people came from everywhere to get in on the Kaiba Land action. Well, I would too if I had some cards. And from what I heard, their arenas are booked solid for the next three months. I would have tried to get an interview with the Kaiba brothers, but they are quite busy with all the action. That's all for this article, I'll try to get more information for those of you who would like to have some dueling fun. Thank you Kaiba Brothers, it's astonishing of what you have accomplished with this.  
  
This is Reporter X. That's all for now folks.  
  
I signed myself as Reporter X, as I usually did. I didn't want anyone to know that I was a reporter. It would ruin my social status. I studied my writing and ran it down to the studio. Back home, I took a shower and crawled into bed, ready for my first day at a new school. I dreamed that night. I bolted upright in my bed. "A dream I should not have dreamed. Kissing Seto Kaiba? That should not have happened. Does it explain my true feelings for him? No, impossible! I don't even know him. But, he sends a chill up my spine every time I see him. No, that's not true, why am I lying to myself? I've only seen him once. AH! I'm losing my mind!" I flipped over and covered my head with my pillow. "Sleep!" I mumbled into the pillow. When my alarm clock rang out at 6:30 in the morning, I jumped out of bed and began getting ready. I took a shower and threw on my uniform. I pinned my hair up with a clip and put on my socks and shoes. I got to school before most people had even awoken. I walked into the office.  
  
"Hello, may I help you?" asked the secretary.  
  
"I hope. I'm new here, and I don't know my schedule, or my way around," I said.  
  
"Come with me." The lady walked to the back office, I followed. She searched through records until she found mine. "Here you are." She handed me my schedule.  
  
"Thank you," I said and walked out. I walked around campus and mapped out my way. When school started, I walked to my first class. I introduced myself to the teacher and she sat me in an empty chair. When everyone else came in I found myself with the window at my left, a guy with blonde hair at my right. I paid no attention to the rest of the people around me. The guy at my right I soon learned was second place winner at Duelist Kingdom, Joey Wheeler. We got in trouble four times in that class, twice for passing notes, once for talking, and once for sleeping. Second period I had theatre arts. Then it was lunch. I didn't know where to sit until Joey motioned me to sit next to him at a table with four of his friends.  
  
"Guys, this is Arilana Nodoka. She just transferred here," Joey said.  
  
"Hi," they all said. I nodded.  
  
After lunch was third period, I had history, Joey was in that class, and again we got in trouble. Fourth I had home economics, cooking was fun. We made miso soup. I wasn't hungry so I saved mine in a little thermos. When school finally let out I walked down the front stairs of the entrance and ran into Joey. "Here, you can have this." I said handing him the thermos and walking away.  
  
"Hey Nodoka! Wait up!" Joey yelled and ran up next to me.  
  
"Yes?" I asked.  
  
"The um. A dance is coming up next week. And. I. was. um. was wondering if you wanted to . go with me?" Joey asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Aw, don't make me say it again." Joey looked down at the ground and shuffled his feet.  
  
"Um, how about I think about it and get back to you tomorrow?" I said. I glanced at my watch. "Crap! I'm late! I have to go Joey, I'll see you tomorrow!" I ran off and down the road. I walked into a nearby coffee house.  
  
"Nodoka!" A girl shouted from a table.  
  
"Mira!" I walked over and sat down. "So, what's the story you're working on?"  
  
"Oh it's just some strange crappy school violence one," Mira responded. "And you?"  
  
"Kaiba Land," I smiled.  
  
"You still on that? I thought you quit," Mira said.  
  
"I'm still working. Mokuba Kaiba is so cute, I love his hair," I laughed.  
  
"I bet you like his older brother," Mira teased.  
  
"Mira! Don't say that! It's not true!" I shouted.  
  
"Mokuba," Mira said.  
  
"No, what?"  
  
"Coming in the door," Mira looked at the door as the young Kaiba came through.  
  
"Mokuba," I said as he walked over to me.  
  
"Nodoka," he said sheepishly.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
He grabbed onto my arm. "Please help," he said.  
  
"What? With what?" I asked, looking at Mira shocked.  
  
"Seto won't come out of his room, he won't listen, he won't sleep, he won't eat," Mokuba said. "You've gotta help me!"  
  
"Mira," I said looking at my friend.  
  
"Go on, I'll see you later," Mira said. I stood up and pushed in my chair. I looked back up at Mira; she had a smug/mocking smile on her face. I stuck out my tongue at her.  
  
"Come on!" Mokuba said. He grabbed my hand and we ran out of the shop.  
  
"Mokuba! Slow down! This may sound sad but I can't run as fast as you!" I shouted. Mokuba stopped and looked at me. "I got an idea," I said smiling. I knelt down. "Climb on my back, I'll run, you tell me where to go," I said. Mokuba climbed on my back and put his arms around my neck. "Hold on now," I said.  
  
"Alright," Mokuba responded.  
  
"Which way?"  
  
"Straight," Mokuba said. I stood and started running in the direction he was telling me. "You lied," Mokuba said.  
  
"About what?" I asked as I kept running.  
  
"You said you couldn't keep up, you're running faster than me!" Mokuba laughed.  
  
"Don't believe everything you hear!" I laughed.  
  
"Turn right up here," Mokuba said. I turned the corner. "Take a left now."  
  
I took the left and stopped. "Is that your place?" I asked looking at the mansion.  
  
"Yeah, come on," Mokuba jumped off and walked over and opened the gate. I walked through and waited for him as he closed it. "Follow me," he said. He ran through the courtyard to a chain on the ground. He pulled up on the chain and revealed a passageway.  
  
"I didn't see that coming," I said. Mokuba walked down the stairs, I followed instinctively. He sat down at a table; I sat down across from him. "So, what are we going to do?" I whispered.  
  
"I want Seto to stop working and do something else for a change," Mokuba whispered back to me.  
  
"Alright, this is what we'll do," I said. I leaned over to Mokuba and silently told him my plan. After I explained it we started laughing. "Mokuba, that's a good one," I said loudly. I leaned back in my chair and fell over laughing.  
  
"Nodoka!" Mokuba rushed over and helped me up.  
  
We laughed until Seto came out of the back room. "Mokuba," Seto said quietly. Mokuba and I looked at Seto. "I told you, visitors aren't allowed down here."  
  
"Well if someone would stop working for a change," I said glaring at the older brother.  
  
"Nodoka, please don't," Mokuba said softly.  
  
"What? He needs to learn," I growled.  
  
"What are you talking about? You don't know me," Seto said.  
  
"Your right, I don't, but I do know your brother," I said.  
  
"Get out."  
  
"You can't make me. I'm a guest of your brother's," I said looking down to Mokuba.  
  
Seto looked at Mokuba. "Mokuba," he growled.  
  
"Leave him be," I said.  
  
"Stay out of this," Seto said to me.  
  
I sighed. "You're ridiculous," I said.  
  
"What?" asked the elder Kaiba.  
  
"You heard me," I said. Mokuba looked at me confused. We hadn't talked about this in our plan. Mokuba ran into another room.  
  
"Leave," Seto said calmly.  
  
"I don't like repeating myself," I yawned.  
  
"Then don't."  
  
"You know, if you would spend more time with Mokuba, I wouldn't be here!" I shouted finally.  
  
"Wha.?"  
  
"Stop fooling around with your damn gadgets and pay attention to him once in a while," I growled. Seto was silent. I had been saving for that. "I'll leave now," I said quietly. I looked over at Mokuba who had been watching around a corner. I walked up the stairs and into the courtyard. Glancing backward, I smiled. I did something right for a change. I walked over to the gates, I was about to open them when four men in black suits walked up.  
  
"Can you open the gates for us?" one of them asked.  
  
"Um." I thought for a second. If they didn't have the key, they shouldn't be allowed in. "I'll go ask .Mr. Kaiba." I said. I despised calling him that.  
  
"No, it's a surprise," said another.  
  
"You're a terrible liar," I said.  
  
"Let us in."  
  
I took a step back; they approached closer to the gate. I stepped back farther. One began to climb up. I jumped forward and kicked the guy in the shin. "Get back," I growled.  
  
"You have no association to Kaiba; or are you his little piece of ass?"  
  
"What did you call me?" I shouted. "I am no ones little piece of ass!"  
  
"What are you going to do about it?" one said laughing.  
  
I looked around for a weapon. "Nothing. I'm going to sit here," I said. I stepped backwards and sat on the ground. As they started to climb the fence, I picked up some rocks and hit them with it. I started laughing. Mokuba came out to see what was going on, he ran back in and got his brother. Seto walked out, I was standing there pelting them with rocks.  
  
"I thought you had left," Seto said.  
  
"Well, I would leave, had I been granted the permission from these suits," I said.  
  
Seto turned and looked at them. "You have no reason to be here," he said to them. At the same time, they all pulled out guns, Seto looked at them shocked.  
  
I jumped back then reached behind me and pulled out a pistol. "Step aside," I said in a low tone.  
  
Seto looked at me. "You had a gun this whole time? Did you plan on shooting me?" He asked surprised.  
  
"I only have it for self defense," I said.  
  
"Right," Kaiba said sarcastically.  
  
"Don't get all bitchy with me," I growled.  
  
"Bitchy? Look who's talking!" Seto shouted. As we shouted at eachother, the suits slowly inched away until they were gone. I put away the gun and looked at Seto. I started laughing. "What?" He asked.  
  
"They left!" I laughed.  
  
Mokuba ran out and over to Seto and me. "Seto! Can Nodoka stay for dinner?" Mokuba asked.  
  
I looked to the elder Kaiba; he looked at me with clenched teeth. "Sorry Mokuba," I said. "I gotta get home, it's getting kind of late."  
  
"Brother, why don't you walk her home?" Mokuba said to Seto.  
  
"Uh," Seto paused.  
  
"I'll be fine, Mokuba," I said. I mock saluted to Mokuba. I walked over and opened the gates, I then walked away. As I was walking down the sidewalk Joey ran up next to me.  
  
"Were you just on Seto Kaiba's property?" he asked worried.  
  
"Yeah, why?" I asked stopping and looking Joey in the eyes.  
  
"Are you and he? Um." Joey stuttered.  
  
"What? No! I was paying a favor to Mokuba," I said laughing.  
  
"Oh, okay, I was just. I got a little worried for a moment there." Joey said.  
  
"No reason to," I reassured him. "He's a complete and total. oh what's the word?"  
  
"Bastard?" Joey suggested.  
  
"What? No!" I said. "I was going to say asshole." Joey and I talked all the way back to my home. "I just noticed something. You aren't wearing your uniform anymore," I said  
  
"Hehe, yeah, I went home and changed real quick. So, how do you like your new school uniform?" Joey laughed.  
  
"I feel naked." I said. I looked at Joey whose eyes were wide, he was blushing.  
  
"Really." Joey snickered.  
  
"Don't you go filling you head with senseless ideas," I said smiling. We walked up to the door of my house. "Later, Joey," I said turning the doorknob.  
  
"No good night kiss?" Joey asked.  
  
I turned around. "This wasn't technically a date," I said.  
  
"That's cruel." Joey said. I smiled. "Fine, can we go out sometime?"  
  
I thought to myself for a second. "Saturday?" I said.  
  
"Two days from now?" Joey asked. I nodded. "Alright!" Joey marched off proudly.  
  
I turned around to open the door and Mira was standing there. "I heard everything," Mira laughed.  
  
"Mira! How'd you know where I lived?" I asked.  
  
"Ran into a little thing called the white pages, coincidently," Mira said sarcastically. "My best friend is all grown up!" Mira said mock dramatically. I opened the door and chased her through the house. A couple minutes later we were watching movies and eating popcorn. "So, what about that Kaiba guy?" Mira asked.  
  
"He's such an asshole," I said.  
  
"You like him, don't you?" said Mira.  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Don't lie!"  
  
"I'm serious I don't."  
  
Mira laughed. "So, you gonna see him again? And what about that Joey character?"  
  
"I'm going out with Joey this Saturday. And Seto is just a story." I said. Not to long later I went upstairs, took a shower and went to bed. Mira slept on the couch. When I woke up, I dressed, said bye to Mira and went to school. Me, Joey, his friend's Tristan, Yugi, Bakura and Téa joked infront of the school until the bell rang. I walked to my locker and opened it, only to have it slammed closed by some big guy. "Only second day of school." I repeatedly mumbled to myself.  
  
"So, how 'bout you and me go do something fun," said the big guy.  
  
"Ushio," said a voice behind the guy. I couldn't see who it was, fricking wide bastard. Ushio, the school enforcer, turned around to face his caller. "What do you want, Kaiba?" he asked. I took a step back. Ushio wrapped his arm around my neck, cutting off my air. I felt something cold and sharp slide next to my face. I flailed around like a dog at the end of its leash.  
  
"Let her go," Seto snapped.  
  
"You want her?" Ushio slightly pushed down on the knife. I felt my skin split, I felt my blood seep down the left side of my face. I clenched my teeth. "Well? Do you want her?" Ushio shouted.  
  
I started becoming lightheaded, I frantically scratched at his arm but I was not let go. "Let her go," Seto said.  
  
"Do you want her?"  
  
Seto stood there, not knowing what to do. I fell limp. "I want her, give her to me," Seto said. That was all I heard, and then the impact when I hit the floor.  
  
When I awoke, I was in the hospital. Seto was sitting in a chair with his head on the bed I was sleeping on. I stretched; unknowingly I squeezed Seto's hand. "Seto." I said. "How long have you been here, what time is it? .Why does my face hurt?" I put my hand on my face and felt the cut. "No wonder," I said.  
  
"Are you alright?" Seto asked me.  
  
"Why do you care all of a sudden?" I asked sitting up.  
  
"Don't stand," he said.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"They changed your clothes," he said.  
  
"Were you in the room when they did that?" I asked alarmed.  
  
"I excused myself. Now lay back down, you'll feel better when you have your rest."  
  
I growled. "You can't tell me what to do!" I said. He put his hand on my shoulder and pushed me back down on the bed. "Okay." I said lightly. I curled up and slept. I awoke to hear arguing. I opened my eyes and saw Seto and Joey in eachother's face.  
  
"Look what you did, you woke her up!" Joey shouted.  
  
I couldn't take it; I rolled over and vomited on the floor. "Nodoka!" Seto said turning towards me.  
  
"Leave, both of you! Just leave!" I shouted, while still looking at the floor.  
  
"But, Nodoka!" Joey said.  
  
"Please," I said looking at them. I felt my face getting pale and my eyes getting red. I laid back just as Mira walked in.  
  
"Kaiba was right, you are sick, girlie," Mira said with a smirk on her face.  
  
"Don't remind me," I said with a runny nose.  
  
"Hehe."  
  
"Nodoka," said a little voice from the doorway. I looked over and it was Mokuba. "Can I come in?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, of course," I said. He ran in and jumped into the bed with me. He put one arm over me and held on tight. He then curled up and dozed off. "Did I miss something?" I asked Mira.  
  
Mira shrugged. "He looks so cute," she said.  
  
"But why did he come to me?" I asked, I then turned to a coughing fit.  
  
"I think he likes you," Mira said.  
  
"He's not a lost puppy, that followed me home one day, he's a human," I laughed.  
  
"Well, I wasn't going to tell you this until you were alone, but I guess he wouldn't matter, cause he's asleep," Mira said.  
  
"Tell me what?" I asked.  
  
"You got a promotion." 


	2. Getting to Move

(A/N: I only own Arilana Nodoka and Mira! Enjoy!)  
Chapter 2  
  
Getting to Move  
And here's where I am now, the present, I hope this goes good for me. "Are you serious?" Nodoka asked Mira.  
  
"Yeah, but there's one problem," Mira looked down.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"You have to move."  
  
Nodoka stopped; it felt as if her heart was beating as slow as a turtle walks. "Are you serious?" She asked.  
  
"Yes." Mira sat down in a chair.  
  
"Where does it require I move?" Nodoka sighed.  
  
"America."  
  
"Are you sure?" Nodoka didn't like the U.S. She was born in Japan, raised in Japan, and took a vacation to Texas. It was there she lost her parents in a car crash in San Antonio. Nodoka didn't cry, she felt she could overcome it. But she was wrong, that day haunts her for life.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure. Are you going?"  
  
"I have no choice, I love my job," Nodoka said.  
  
Mokuba quickly sat upright. "No," he said softly. Nodoka looked at him. "You can't leave!"  
  
"I have no choice, I've been with them for four years of my life," Nodoka said sitting up.  
  
"What? I hate you! Don't talk to Seto or me again! Don't even look at us!" Mokuba yelled. He then jumped up and ran out of the room.  
  
"Mokuba!" Nodoka shouted after him.  
  
Nodoka stood and grabbed her clothes; she then ran into the restroom and put them on. She ran out the door to her room and out of the hospital. She looked around and saw Joey sitting on a bench and Seto leaning against a wall. Joey looked up. "Hey, Nodoka!" he said.  
  
Seto and Joey then walked up to her. "What's wrong?" Seto asked.  
  
"Don't mock me, Seto Kaiba!" Nodoka shouted at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
Nodoka turned around. "According to your brother Mokuba, I'm not allowed to look at you or speak to you," she said. Joey snickered.  
  
"What?" Seto said.  
  
Nodoka turned around. "Anyway, I got good and bad news. Good first, I got a promotion."  
  
"What's the bad?" Seto asked.  
  
"I'm moving."  
  
Everyone was silent. Then Seto spoke. "If I give you a job at Kaiba Corp, will you stay?"  
  
"It's not that simple, I've been working for them for four years, I can't throw it away!" Nodoka growled.  
  
Seto turned and angrily walked away. Joey and Nodoka watched as he left. The two then looked at eachother and at the same time said, "I think we should only be friends." They then nodded and laughed. Nodoka then kissed Joey on the cheek and whispered in his ear that Mira like him, which was true. The two said their good-byes and Nodoka ran off. She turned around only once to see Joey talking to Mira and both of them gave her a thumbs up. Yet Joey also mouthed the words 'Good luck'. She turned and ran to the Kaiba Mansion.  
  
When Nodoka arrived, the gates were locked. She sighed and looked down, she was wearing her school uniform. She pressed the button on the intercom. "Hello?" came a voice.  
  
"Mokuba! Open the gate!"  
  
"No, leave us alone! I told you never to speak to Seto and me again! So leave!" Mokuba shouted.  
  
Nodoka sighed. She stood there and thought. Then someone grabbed her and flung her to the ground. Nodoka looked up and saw the four men in suits that were trying to get in the gates a while back. "Go away!" Nodoka yelled. She scrambled back only to have a rag drenched in chloroform clasped over her nose and mouth. When she came to, she was in a dark room, the door opened and Nodoka jumped to her feet.  
  
"Nothing to be afraid of, child," said the man. He was an overweight man, with a tag on his jacket that said, 'KC'.  
  
"Kaiba sent you?" Nodoka said jumping from her bed and lowering herself into a fighting stance.  
  
"Hardly. We want you to get rid of Kaiba for us," the man said.  
  
"Never!"  
  
"I believe you might change your mind!" he snapped his fingers and two men with guns walked in.  
  
"You've got to be kidding me," Nodoka sighed. She ran over and kicked the two guns out of their hands. She slid, picked them up, got back to her feet, and aimed the weapons back at them. "Hands up!" she shouted. They did so. "Against the wall!" She walked out of the room and ran out of the Kaiba Corp building, leaving the three men in their underwear, wrists bound to the bed post with their socks stuffed in their mouths. The guns were placed in the back of her skirt with her blouse over them to keep them from vision. She turned the corner and ran smack into Seto. Nodoka looked up at him from the ground, the sky was dark with rain clouds.  
  
"What were you doing in there?" He asked.  
  
"Would you believe me if I told you that I was being kidnapped?" Nodoka asked, still sitting on the ground.  
  
"No."  
  
"Ah, thought so," she said. A gunshot was heard behind Seto. Nodoka screamed as Kaiba fell forward onto the ground. "SETO!" she yelled. She crawled over to him.  
  
"Go away, leave me alone!" he yelled at her.  
  
Nodoka stood up and pulled one of the guns from the back of her skirt. "Shouldn't have done that!" she said and emptied the clip on the man who shot Seto.  
  
She dropped the gun to her feet. "Would you like to finish off Kaiba?" said a man behind her. Nodoka turned around.  
  
"Would I? Of course," she grinned. He handed her a gun. Two men roughly brought Seto to his feet. They stood there holding him upright. "You should've never messed with me, Seto Kaiba!" she said. She aimed the gun at his head then lowered it towards his crotch.  
  
"Nodoka! Please!" Seto said.  
  
"Quiet, and accept thy fate!" She pulled the trigger. The bullet hit his belt buckle and ricocheted back at her. She moved to the side and it hit the man who had given her the gun, killing him. She then shot the two that were holding Seto, then flipped around, kicked the gun out of another guys' hand and pressed the gun in her hand right under his left mandible.  
  
"Please, no!" said the man.  
  
"Gomen nasai," Nodoka said and fired. The man collapsed on the ground. He, along with the other three men, were dead. Nodoka looked at Seto. His legs buckled; Nodoka ran over and caught him before he hit the ground. She sat on her legs and turned him around so that he was leaning in her lap.  
  
Seto brought up his right hand and pushed her away. "Leave, go away!" Seto shouted at her.  
  
"What did you do to my brother?!" Nodoka looked up and saw Mokuba pointing a gun at her. "I'll kill you for what you have done!" the young Kaiba yelled.  
  
Nodoka once again sat on her legs; she placed her hands right infront of herself on the ground. She looked at the down quietly. "Go ahead, kill me, if I have no purpose to you, Mokuba," she said.  
  
"You have any last words?" Mokuba shouted. Nodoka looked at Seto. "Don't look at my brother!"  
  
Nodoka looked away. "I love you, Seto Kaiba." A shot rang out. Nodoka lay on the ground motionless in a pool of her own blood. 


	3. Nothingness

(A/N: I only own Arilana Nodoka and Mira! Enjoy!)  
Chapter 3  
  
Nothingness  
Nodoka awoke with a treacherous headache. "Nodoka. Can you hear me?"  
  
"Don't shout," Nodoka said.  
  
"I'm not shouting." Nodoka looked at Mira with blurry eyes.  
  
"I feel like I've been hit with a brick, and it hurts like hell," Nodoka said.  
  
"Mokuba shot you," Mira said.  
  
"You serious?"  
  
"Yeah. Apparently you shot Seto, so in revenge he shot you. You bled worse than Seto did. You're getting a blood transfusion in a second. He's donating the blood," Mira said.  
  
"Oh wonderful," Nodoka said. "Life's a b."  
  
"Nodoka! Don't talk like that."  
  
The doctor walked in. "Don't worry," he said. "This won't hurt at all."  
  
He stuck the needle in Nodoka's arm. "Ow! Not hurt? How would you like me to stab you with a needle like that."  
  
Mira laughed. "Okay Nodoka." she said.  
  
Joey walked in and kissed Mira on the cheek. "Hey you two," Joey said.  
  
"Hey Joey," Nodoka said. "I was shot right under the rib cage. No more sit ups for a while," she laughed.  
  
"Kaiba was shot in the arm. or was it his back? He's next door," Joey said. "Mokuba's there too."  
  
"Great, my shooter is next door," Nodoka laughed. The doctor took the needle out of her arm and left.  
  
"You guys, thanks for coming." Nodoka said.  
  
"No problem," Joey said. "Yugi, Tristan, Téa, and Bakura are coming, so stay awake."  
  
"Okay." Nodoka yawned.  
  
A few minutes later, Yugi, Tristan, Téa, and Bakura walked in. "Hey," Yugi said. "How are you?"  
  
"Shot, but other than that, I'll live." They all laughed.  
  
They all talked until visiting time was over. When they left, Nodoka rolled over and went to sleep. At midnight, Nodoka woke herself up. She slowly made her way out of her room. She looked at the files on the door to the right of hers. It was Seto's room. She opened the door and peeked her head in. He was asleep on his back. Nodoka snickered. She walked into the bathroom and filled a bowl with warm water. She carried it over to the side of his bed and stuck his hand in it. Nothing was happening. He wasn't peeing on himself. Nodoka waited. Nothing still. She got on his bed, she positioned herself to where she was above his stomach and she was holding herself up with her legs. She took the bowl and dumped it on his head. Seto sat up, knocking her off of him and onto the floor. Nodoka slowly got to her feet. You could see her wound bleeding again through her clothes. "Nodoka!" Seto said.  
  
"Who'd you expect? The Easter bunny?" Nodoka winced from the pain.  
  
Seto jumped out of bed to support her as she began leaning. "I'm sorry," Seto said.  
  
"Don't be. And don't say you're sorry. As a matter of fact, make it a bonus, don't talk," Nodoka said.  
  
"Wait, what's wrong?" Seto asked.  
  
Nodoka winced. "The fact that you pushed me away, and let your little brother try and kill me!" Nodoka stepped away from him and turned to look him in the eyes. "The fact that I almost died, and you didn't stick up for me! The fact that I am found to be alive, you donate blood to me!" She slapped him. "I'm sorry! I should have never come to Domino!"  
  
Seto rubbed his face. "Why did you come?" Seto asked looking down.  
  
"My job asked me to move here," she said.  
  
"What is your job?" Seto looked at her.  
  
"I'm. I'm. I'm a reporter." They were silent. "I was to write about you, Mokuba, and Kaiba Land." Nodoka looked away.  
  
"Get out."  
  
"As you wish." Nodoka turned and walked out. She went back into her room and lie down. "I love you, Seto Kaiba," she said, and went back to sleep. When she awoke there was a new bandage around her waist. She jumped up changed into clothes that Mira had brought her and signed herself out of the hospital. She gathered her belongings and left. Nodoka went home and packed all of her things. She said good-bye to Yugi, Mira, Joey, Tristan, Bakura, and Téa. She then went to the airport with all of her things and left to the U.S. Two and a half years later, Nodoka returns. 


	4. Nodoka Comes Home

(A/N: I only own Arilana Nodoka and Mira! Enjoy!)  
Chapter 4  
  
Nodoka Comes Home  
A person in a long black coat with a hood over their head walked through the city of Domino. The person walked into a very fancy Japanese restaurant and up to Seto Kaiba. "Kaiba!" The person slammed their hands on the table. "I challenge you to a Duel Monsters game!"  
  
"Who ever you are, can't you see I'm on a date?" Kaiba growled.  
  
The person turned around. "Mai Valentine?"  
  
"Of course, who else would it be? Arilana Nodoka?" Mai laughed.  
  
"What's wrong with this picture?" the person mumbled.  
  
"If you will leave, I have a question to ask," said Kaiba.  
  
"Oi vey. You're a fool, Kaiba." The person pulled out a gun and aimed it against Mai's head. "Don't put this off, Kaiba."  
  
"Wait, don't! I'll play you! Just don't kill her," Kaiba said getting to his feet.  
  
The person smiled. "Good." He/she shoved Kaiba infront and then grabbed Mai's shoulder. "Don't try anything funny, or she's dead."  
  
The three walked to Kaiba Land and went to one of the dueling stations. Seto was on the blue side and the other was on the red. Mai was tied up and sitting in a chair. "Ready?"  
  
"Let's Duel!"  
  
They drew five cards. "Lookie lookie, I've got a cookie," said the person. "I'll mix these three cards with a Polymerization!"  
  
"What?" Kaiba was shocked. "The Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon?"  
  
"You're an idiot," said the person.  
  
"You took those four cards when you shoved me, didn't you?" Kaiba shouted.  
  
"Ha! Took you a while."  
  
"Who are you?" Kaiba asked.  
  
"Drop to your knees and act like the little beaten dog you are!" the person said and laughed evilly.  
  
"Joey?"  
  
"Of course not."  
  
"Then who?"  
  
"You're a dolt."  
  
"You want me to get down on my knees and beg? Fine!" Kaiba got down from the dueling station and walked over to the other one. He got down on his knees.  
  
"You're depressing."  
  
"What?"  
  
"What do you see in that built up pile of smutty trash?"  
  
"Don't talk about me like that! I'll get you!" Mai shouted.  
  
"Shut up," said the person then looked back to Kaiba. "Is it that she puts out?"  
  
"What? No!" shouted Kaiba.  
  
"Ha! Be the little defeated dog you are!" said the person. Kaiba got on his hands and knees. "Say it! Say you are the little defeated puppy!"  
  
"I. I am. I am the little defeated . I am the little defeated puppy." said Kaiba.  
  
"Crawl." Kaiba began to crawl around.  
  
"I am the little defeated dog."  
  
"Oh, Kaiba." Mai said.  
  
"Sit," said the person. Kaiba sat. "You are being granted one question." The person laughed.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Call me what you wish," said the person flipping up their hood.  
  
"Nodoka!" Seto said getting to his feet.  
  
"Back on the floor!" she said aiming the gun at his head. He got back on the floor. "Do not speak."  
  
"Nodoka!" Mai shouted. "Leave him alone."  
  
"What are you going to do about it? You're tied to a chair," Nodoka said looking at Mai. She turned back around and Seto wasn't on the floor, he wasn't in sight. "Hah! Pathetic!" He came from the side of the dueling station and kicked Nodoka in the face. She fell into the arena and Seto landed next to her. Nodoka stood up and wiped the blood from the side of her mouth. "Not bad, Kaiba," Nodoka growled.  
  
"What ever happened to you calling me Seto?" he asked.  
  
"I found my brain in trashcan outside of the school," Nodoka grinned.  
  
"You know you love me!" Seto said.  
  
"Ha! You think you know me? You couldn't be more wrong."  
  
"So, why'd you come back?" Seto asked.  
  
"Work was boring. And Mira said you were marrying Mai."  
  
"You were going to ask me to marry you?" Mai asked.  
  
Seto growled loudly at Nodoka. "Damn you! It was going to be a surprise!"  
  
Nodoka covered her mouth, and laughed. "So sorry. I guess I can't keep my mouth shut." She dropped her hand and looked to the side. Her gun was there. Seto notice her looking at it. At the same time they dove fore it. At the end, Nodoka had the gun aimed at Seto's head as he was sitting on her stomach. "Why did you do this to me?" Nodoka whispered. "You're a real creep." Nodoka shove him off of her and stood up. She took the clip out of the gun and threw it at him, and threw the gun off somewhere. She then turned and walked away.  
  
Nodoka walked through the empty streets. She put the hood back over her head as the rain began to pour down. She bumped shoulders with someone in a trench coat. "Sorry," she said.  
  
"Nodoka?"  
  
Nodoka turned around. "Tristan! Hey!" the two of them shook hands. "Long time no see."  
  
"Same to you," he said. "So how have you been?"  
  
"Oh, same ole same ole." she said.  
  
"Wanna get something to eat and catch up?"  
  
"Sure, why not?" 


	5. Beginning of a New

(A/N: I only own Arilana Nodoka and Mira! Enjoy!)  
  
Chapter 5 Beginning of a New  
Nodoka and Tristan sat at a sushi restaurant and talked. "You know what, Tristan?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Did you know there are places where you can eat sushi off of a naked person?" Nodoka said taking a drink.  
  
"Wha...?" Tristan looked at Nodoka.  
  
Nodoka looked back. "Sorry, just remembered that." Tristan brought up the subject that he had never done that. Nodoka had been kidding and made that known. After they ate they walked down the street and talked. They stopped in the park and looked up at the stars. "It's been so long."  
  
"What has, Nodoka?"  
  
"Since I saw the stars. They're so bright here. Unlike in America where the smog and pollution from the city cover them up," Nodoka said. She sighed and looked at Tristan who was looking at her. "What?" she asked him  
  
"Oh, sorry, nothing," Tristan looked up into the sky. Nodoka started laughing. Tristan looked back at her. "You got into the saké didn't you?" Tristan asked her. Nodoka nodded. She was drunk. "I think it's time to get you home." Nodoka continued to laugh, smile, and giggle like a four-year- old girl. They were on their way when Nodoka accidentally ran into Seto.  
  
"Oh, hello," she said.  
  
"You're drunk," Seto said.  
  
"No shit Sherlock." Nodoka said and stumbled around.  
  
Seto looked to Tristan. "You got her drunk?"  
  
"Of course not, she drank of her own free will," Tristan said.  
  
Seto walked over and grabbed Tristan by his shirt collar. "You lie!"  
  
Tristan tried to tug himself free. "I'm telling the truth, Kaiba!"  
  
Nodoka gently grabbed Seto's wrist. "Kaiba let him go," she said softly. Seto released his grip. "Go home to your fiancé. I expect she's waiting for you."  
  
"Wha. Nodoka." Seto began to say.  
  
"Oh, and, my condolences to you," Nodoka said walking away.  
  
"I thought you were drunk?" Tristan asked Nodoka.  
  
"Alcohol has little affect on me anymore," Nodoka shouted behind her. "Catch ya later!"  
  
Nodoka left and Seto grabbed Tristan's shirt collar again. "I swear if you harm her, I'll skin you alive!" Seto growled.  
  
"Back off, Kaiba!" Tristan growled back.  
  
"Leave him alone, Kaiba!" came a voice. Mira and Joey ran up to them, Yugi wasn't far behind.  
  
Seto shoved Tristan to the ground and walked away. "Heed my warning." Seto said looking back at Tristan and glaring. He then turned and continued on his way.  
  
The next day Tristan knocked on the door of Nodoka's home. She barely opened the door and poked her head out. "Tristan, it's. 6:00 P.M.? Damn it!" She left the door open and went upstairs. Thirty minutes later she came back down, clean and dressed. "Okay, now, what's up?"  
  
"Come with me," Tristan said grabbing her hand.  
  
"Whoa! Wait. I gotta get my shoes on," she said. Tristan released her hand. She put on her shoes, grabbed her house keys, and locked her door. Tristan then grabbed her hand again and they went to a large building that had multicolored lights streaming out of it. They walked through the doors to see many people dancing. In the back were Mira and Joey. Neither of them had any rhythm, but they were moderately good compared to the rest of the people around them that were making complete asses of themselves.  
  
"Let's dance," Tristan said.  
  
"What? I can't dance, even if it would save my life," she said over the music.  
  
"And you think any other people here can?" Tristan said. He had a point. Nodoka shrugged and they went and danced in a group with Mira and Joey.  
  
After the dance, the four of them stood in the front of the building for a while. The rain started to come down again. Mira and Joey said good-bye and the two of them held Joey's famous green jacket over their heads as they left. It was an hour later when Tristan and Nodoka left. Tristan walked in the rain while Nodoka wore his trench coat. "Are you sure you don't want to share like Joey and Mira?" Nodoka asked. She felt a little guilty for him being soaked.  
  
"Aw, nah, I'm fine, I like the rain. It purifies the soul," Tristan said.  
  
"Are you saying I should have a dirty soul?" she stopped and asked him.  
  
"What, no! I'm just. why are you laughing?" Tristan looked at her funny.  
  
"I do have a dirty soul!" she laughed evilly. She brought the jacket over her head and started chasing Tristan.  
  
"Hey! You're scaring me!" Tristan laughed. Nodoka lowered the jacket back on her shoulders and continued walking. As they walked past a dark building Tristan stopped. "Nodoka, what's that?" he asked pointing to a little figure in the shadows.  
  
"I don't know." she walked over to it and knelt down. She reached out to touch its face but it smacked her hand away. She placed her hands on the wet ground and leaned forward. "Mokuba!" she gasped. He stayed curled up in a little ball. "Mokuba, it's me, Nodoka," she said. He looked up, his eyes became wide and he hugged her. She responded and hugged him back. They released eachother and Mokuba curled back on the ground in the fetal position, he quickly went to sleep. Nodoka thought for a second. She took Tristan's jacket and put it over Mokuba. "Tristan, can you carry him?" Nodoka asked Tristan.  
  
"Yeah," Tristan walked over and picked Mokuba up. "He's as light as a feather," Tristan said.  
  
Nodoka stood up. "Don't let the rain hit him in the face," she said. Tristan shifted Mokuba in his arms. They walked for a couple of blocks before Nodoka stopped. She looked to Tristan. "We're being followed," she said. "Make a break for my place," she said quietly. Tristan nodded. They broke off in a run. When they got to the house, Nodoka had a hard time getting her house key. Tristan was holding Mokuba. People silently moved in the shadows.  
  
"Nodoka, I can see them," Tristan said glancing around.  
  
She unlocked the door, when she opened it; she shoved Tristan in and then walked in herself. "I do not like the feeling that I am being watched. It scares me," Nodoka said sitting on the floor and leaning against the door. A loud banging came at the door. Nodoka stood and motioned for Tristan to take Mokuba upstairs. "Tristan," she whispered.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Get my sword from the shelf above my bed," she said to him. He nodded and went upstairs. She opened the door a little. Seto stood there. She opened it the rest of the way. "What?" she asked.  
  
"You aren't going to invite me in?" Seto asked.  
  
"Hell no," she said. "What do you want?"  
  
"I want to speak to Mokuba," Seto said.  
  
"He ain't here, I haven't seen him since he shot me," she said.  
  
Mokuba walked out of the room. "Seto," he said quietly.  
  
"Mokuba, come here," Seto said.  
  
"No! You won't listen to me."  
  
"Mokuba, come here, now!" Seto shouted. Nodoka's sword flew from her room; she caught the handle, spun it around and held it at Seto's throat.  
  
"My advice to you is that you leave my property," Nodoka said. She was nowhere close to joking. "I will take care of Mokuba, but you need to leave." Seto turned around and walked away. Nodoka lowered the sword, closed the door and locked it. Tristan came down the stairs, she tossed him the sword and he set it on a small table by the bottom of the stairs. She then walked over to the living room and sat down on the couch. Mokuba and Tristan slowly approached. "The nerve of that bastard!" she shouted standing up. "No offense, Mokuba."  
  
"None taken," Mokuba responded.  
  
Tristan walked over and eased her back onto the couch. "Relax," Tristan said.  
  
Nodoka leaned forward. "Can someone explain to me what I missed while I was in America?" she said.  
  
Mokuba sat down heavily on the floor. Seeing that Mokuba wasn't going to say anything, Tristan began to talk. "A week after you left, Nodoka, Seto had a run in with Mai. It started as hatred and then I guess erupted into whatever the hell they have now. They then wouldn't separate, Mokuba doesn't like Mai." Tristan didn't get to finish his sentence before Mokuba interrupted.  
  
"Damn right I don't like her!" Mokuba shouted getting to his feet. "She's obnoxious, a fricking liar! And she only wants Seto because we have money!" Mokuba shouted. Nodoka walked over to Mokuba. Mokuba hugged her and began crying. "Nodoka, I'm sorry I shot you! Don't leave me again!" he cried.  
  
Nodoka hugged him back. "Mokuba, don't cry." She began sniffling. "If you cry, I'm gonna cry and then we'll both be crying, then I won't stop until I'm all cried out!" She cried. Mokuba stopped crying and looked up at Nodoka whose eyes were watery. After the waterworks Nodoka went to the kitchen and made a bowl of popcorn and grabbed the first-aid kit. She walked back and cleaned Mokuba up and then sent him over to the T.V. with the popcorn so that her and Tristan could talk. Tristan sat down on the couch and Nodoka sat next to him.  
  
"Anyway," Tristan said, beginning the story again. "I heard that Kaiba told Mokuba about his plans to marry Mai and then Mokuba tried to talk some sense into him. And then Mai convinced Kaiba to, well."  
  
"Well what?" Nodoka asked.  
  
"Kill Mokuba," Tristan said.  
  
"Damned Seto," Nodoka said. "No offense 'Kuba."  
  
"None taken!" Mokuba responded.  
  
"Did you just call him 'Kuba?" Tristan asked.  
  
"I guess so." That night, Nodoka, Tristan, and Mokuba played board games until Mokuba fell asleep during his turn. They made Mokuba a place on the couch and tucked him in, then Tristan left and Nodoka went to bed. Nodoka was sleeping peacefully when there was a scream from downstairs. She bolted out of bed, tripped on the rug and fell down the stairs. "Mokuba! What's wrong?" She asked staggering to her feet and running into the living room. She looked on the couch. He was still asleep. "Poor little guy," she said.  
  
"I'm thirteen, Nodoka, don't call me little."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm awake," Mokuba said. "I had the T.V. on and there was this monster movie marathon and this lady screamed, sorry I had it up so loud."  
  
"You should've told me. Go ahead and watch your marathon, Mokuba. hehe. Welcome to Mokuba's Monster Movie Marathon!" she laughed. "Try saying that three times fast."  
  
Mokuba laughed. "So it's okay if I watch it?" he asked.  
  
"Go ahead, but don't have it up so loud, I'm thinking of going to school tomorrow," she said.  
  
"Thinking?" Mokuba questioned her.  
  
"Debating." she said walking upstairs. "Good night, or morning or whatever, see ya later, 'Kuba." Nodoka walked into her room and went back to bed. At 6:00 in the morning the phone rang. "Hello?" Nodoka asked.  
  
"Is there a Mr. Nodoka home?"  
  
"No sorry, not at this time," Nodoka said.  
  
"How about a Mrs.?"  
  
Nodoka faked sobbing. "She died."  
  
"Oh I'm so sorry," said the caller.  
  
Nodoka stopped. "No worries, I helped."  
  
"Oh my god!"  
  
"Boss man, you really gotta stop calling me at 6:00 A.M. It gives me a headache."  
  
"Nodoka?" the man asked.  
  
"Yea boss?"  
  
"God, you had me scared."  
  
"You shouldn't call so early. Maybe I would have a better attitude about it all," Nodoka growled.  
  
"Well, how are you coming along on that 'Kaiba Marriage' story?" Nodoka's boss asked.  
  
"Lookie here, get off my ass with this damn story!" Nodoka slammed the phone back on the hook. "Controlling bastard." She curled up into bed and went back to sleep. At 7:00 she woke and began getting ready for school. When she was done, she told Mokuba where the food was and that she would be back later. She went to school and had the worst day ever.  
  
"We heard you were gone for so long because Kaiba knocked you up," said this one girl.  
  
"What?" Nodoka was angry.  
  
"Yeah, he said it was you're idea to do it. You sound like a real slut," the girl said.  
  
"Son of a bitch!" Nodoka looked around.  
  
"You seem angry, Nodoka."  
  
"Damn, shit, hell!" Nodoka saw Seto. She walked over to him and shoved him into the lockers. "Little bastard!" she shouted at him.  
  
"Fight!" came the crowds' voices. "Fight!"  
  
"Nodoka? Why are you here?" Seto asked.  
  
"Because maybe I thought school would be a change from my everyday boring life. I guess I was right," she said sarcastically.  
  
"You heard the rumors?" Seto asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm ready to defend my honor, and I'll kick your ass for what you said," Nodoka growled.  
  
"Nodoka, hold on a minute," said Tristan stepping infront of her. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "You don't wanna fight him, he'll get rid of you faster than you can say, 'Oh shit.' So let's just go," Tristan said.  
  
"I guess you're right, Tristan. Kaiba's nothing but a low down, no good, ass-kissing, two-timing, chicken-assed, son of a bitch," Nodoka chided.  
  
"What did you call me?" Seto growled.  
  
Nodoka lightly pushed Tristan out of the way. "You heard me you conniving, vile, wrongful excuse of a man!"  
  
Seto backhanded Nodoka in the face. "Don't you ever say that to me."  
  
Nodoka rubbed her cheek. "You think that just because you're rich, that it makes you better than the rest of us? Huh? Well do you?" Seto was quiet. "We work so hard to get ahead and make a better life for ourselves. Oh no, but not for Mr. Seto Kaiba. He gets to sit on his ass all day, ignore his little brother and marry a stupid slut at an early age! Get your priorities straight, Kaiba! No one here fears you! No one here is going to wait on you hand and foot. And especially, no one is going to respect you if you act how you do." Nodoka paused; she had had that bottled up for two years. "Don't treat others as if they are dirt and are only meant to be walked upon. Because some day, the tides will turn, and the winds of change will be upon you, and you will be treated just how you treat us."  
  
"That's." Seto began to say.  
  
"And don't say that's not going to happen. Because believe me, it's already started." With those end words Nodoka walked to her class. Mira and the rest of the gang ran up to her.  
  
"Nodoka! That was so cool!" Mira said.  
  
"Two years of stress really pays off sometimes when you have something to say," Nodoka smiled and laughed a little. Tristan didn't even look her in the eyes. Nodoka looked to Tristan. "What's wrong?"  
  
"You didn't listen to what I told you and you got hurt," he said.  
  
"Oh come on, Tristan, that didn't hurt one bit, I've been shot before!" she said.  
  
"It doesn't matter," Tristan said looking away.  
  
"Tristan, she had to get that out," Yugi said.  
  
"I think it was a splendid show," Bakura added in.  
  
Nodoka laughed. "You shoulda called him a beaten down dog!" Joey laughed.  
  
"Oh, um been there, done that," she said.  
  
Mira looked at Nodoka shocked. "You did?"  
  
"Kinda, I had him embarrassing the hell out of himself infront of Mai. He was on his hands and knees saying, 'I am a little defeated puppy.'" Nodoka said.  
  
"Really?" Joey asked enthusiastically  
  
Nodoka looked down and shuffled her feet. "Yeah."  
  
"So cool!" Joey ran off to go rub it in Kaiba's face.  
  
Mira smiled at Nodoka, then looked at Joey who was on his way over to Seto. "Joey! Get back here!" Mira took off after him.  
  
"Tristan," Nodoka said.  
  
"What?"  
  
Nodoka looked at him. "Too often we lose sight of life's simple pleasures. Remember, when someone annoys you it takes forty-two muscles in your face to frown, but, it only takes four muscles to extend your arm and bitch-slap that motherfucker upside the head." They all looked at Nodoka shocked at what she said. Tristan started laughing. Nodoka sighed. She didn't want him to be mad at her. It had worked.  
  
When Nodoka got home that day she was exhausted. "Hey, Nodoka!" Mokuba called from the couch.  
  
Nodoka walked into the living room to see it still spotless, like she left it. "Low Maintenance Mokuba?" she asked.  
  
"Are you still doing those double M things?" Mokuba asked shifting onto his back and looking at the T.V. while upside down.  
  
"When I can fit them in 'Kuba," she said. She lie down next to him on the floor and watched T.V. "What's on?"  
  
"Just some tournament, info on Seto's engagement, and animals doing what animals do," Mokuba said.  
  
"What ever you want to watch, I'm with ya," she said yawning. Soon after she got there she fell asleep on the floor. Mokuba went up to her room and brought down her blanket and pillow. He covered her up and put her head on the pillow. He then walked over and went to bed on the couch.  
  
"Night, Nodoka-chan," Mokuba said rolling over and going to sleep. "See ya in the morning." 


	6. Rose

(A/N: I only own Arilana Nodoka and Mira! Enjoy!)  
  
Chapter 6 Rose  
Nodoka woke in the morning on the floor. She stood up and looked at Mokuba, who was still asleep. There was a slight knock at her door. She walked over and opened it, no one was there, she looked around and then finally at the steps. There was a small bouquet of flowers. A puzzled look erupted on her face. "What do these mean?" she asked herself. "Come on Nodoka, think from when you used to work at the flower shop." Nodoka set the flowers on the table and began pacing. "Crocus, gentian, yellow iris, marigold, peach blossom, xanthium and zinnia, and a love-lies-bleeding?" Nodoka thought for a minute. "That's a strange arrangement of flowers." She began to pace again. "Crocus means abuse not." she became puzzled again. "Gentian means, virgin pride." Nodoka went and sat in a chair at the table. "Yellow iris means passion. Marigold is pain. Peach blossoms. can't remember. Xanthium, . is rudeness, zinnias are absence." She stopped. "So what the hell are peach blossoms and love-lies-bleeding?" For half an hour she sat there thinking. "Love-lies-bleeding. um, yes! Now I remember, it means hopeless, not heartless. But what do peach blossoms mean?" She looked at her bookshelf. "There's gotta be something in there that can help me," she sighed. She walked over and looked at the books. "Flowers for dummies?" she asked herself. She shrugged and kept looking. She flipped open a book to the index and saw 'peach blossoms'. She opened to the page. "I am your captive?!" Nodoka was petrified. She didn't like when people send her flowers. Flowers hold secret messages. And sometimes peoples send the wrong ones. This was definitely planned. She grabbed the flowers and threw them against the wall.  
  
Mokuba woke up at the sound. "Nodoka, what's wrong?"  
  
"Seto sent me flowers," she said in a cheery tone.  
  
"And?"  
  
"I tried to throw them out the window, but they hit the wall instead," she said walking into the kitchen.  
  
"What's wrong with them?" Mokuba asked following her.  
  
Nodoka stopped. "Hey 'Kuba, did your brother ever study plants?" Nodoka asked.  
  
"Yeah, for some odd reason for three years before we met you," he said.  
  
"Bastard!" Nodoka said.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Flower messages, 'Kuba," she said.  
  
"Like how a peach blossom means 'I am your captive'?" Mokuba asked. He laughed aloud.  
  
"You know what a peach blossom means?" she asked him.  
  
"Always have," Mokuba responded.  
  
"Well that was one of the flowers that he sent me," she said. "And I. wait a minute, what was I saying?"  
  
"I don't know, I can't read your mind," Mokuba said.  
  
"Haha, very funny Mokuba." She stayed in thought for a moment and then looked at Mokuba's shoes. "Wanna go shoe shopping?"  
  
"Shoe shopping?" Mokuba looked at her confused.  
  
"Come on! You need to get out of the house before you turn into a couch potato and start growing stuff," Nodoka said. She walked upstairs, took a shower, dressed and walked back downstairs. She was wearing black jeans and a white shirt that on the front said, 'Do you know the difference between an idiot and a moron?' and on the back said, 'You're the idiot, I'm the moron.' She grabbed Mokuba's hand and wiped off his shirt. "Come on!"  
  
"Fine!" They left the house and went to the mall. Mokuba stopped at the entrance of the mall.  
  
"What is it 'Kuba?" Nodoka asked looking to him.  
  
"Now that I think of it, you owe me three birthday presents!" He indicated the number three with his fingers.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah, for the two years you were gone, and then earlier this year."  
  
Nodoka growled. "Damn you and your memory!" she said then laughed. "Come on, let's go."  
  
They walked through the mall looking for shoes for Nodoka. "Hey Nodoka can you get me that?"  
  
"What the hell is that?"  
  
"It's a Tamagachi," Mokuba said.  
  
"Um, no. Those things are annoying. Anything else you like?" Nodoka said. She looked at a music store. Hm." She walked in it and Mokuba followed. A guy ran straight into Nodoka.  
  
"Watch it you, idiot," the guy said.  
  
"Back off you." She stopped mid-sentence and continued around. The guy walked away.  
  
"Nodoka, why didn't you finish what you were saying?" Mokuba asked her.  
  
"I don't know, I didn't feel like it," she responded.  
  
A girl walked up to Nodoka. "Are you Arilana Nodoka?" she asked.  
  
"Um, yeah."  
  
"Cool! Jessie! It's her!" the girl called to her friend.  
  
"What's going on?" Nodoka asked.  
  
"We were at school and we heard all that you said to Kaiba, but we couldn't see you so we've been looking for you. We wanted to ask you some questions," said the girl called Jessie.  
  
"Well um, I'm kinda busy right now, can we talk later?" Nodoka said.  
  
"Aww. come on Arilana!" said Jessie.  
  
Nodoka growled. "I'll catch ya later," she said walking away with Mokuba walking next to her.  
  
"Nodoka, what's wrong?" Mokuba asked her.  
  
"You know when we first met, I told you to call me Nodoka instead of Arilana?" Nodoka said quietly.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"The reason that was is because it links me to my past. And I don't like it. It was tough back then, and I don't want to think of it," Nodoka said.  
  
"Alrighty," Mokuba said smiling.  
  
"Come on, let's get something!" she said walking into a shoe store. "Go find something you like," she said. Mokuba ran off into the store. Nodoka looked around.  
  
"Did you get my flowers, Nodoka?" said a voice behind her.  
  
Nodoka turned around and came face to face with Seto. "You don't need to be sending me flowers, keep them for your fiancé. Especially the peach blossoms." Nodoka growled.  
  
"You studied herbology?" Seto asked her.  
  
"Yeah, and I used to work in a flower shop, I know what they all mean." Nodoka said.  
  
"How about this one?" Seto asked pulling a solitary red rose from behind his back. It was in full bloom.  
  
Nodoka looked at it, then at Seto. "Roses are red, your heart is icy blue, if you don't get out of my face, I'll hit you with this shoe," Nodoka growled, picking a shoe up and threatened to throw it at him.  
  
He looked at her with a puzzled look. "Nodoka, I."  
  
"I suppose your wife is looking for you, run along home, Mokuba and I are fine, we don't need you," Nodoka said, she turned back around and put the shoe down. "Run along, Seto," she said.  
  
"Nodoka!"  
  
Nodoka turned around. "What Seto?"  
  
"Will you forgive me?"  
  
"Don't show your weakness, especially in a shoe store. It's public, and people can see you. Just like when I saw you with Mai. And you can have these back," Nodoka said. She pulled the three Blue Eyes and the Polymerization cards out of her pocket. They were in a plastic casing and were still in mint condition.  
  
"Nodoka, I." Seto began to say.  
  
"Take them, go on," she said softly. He took the casing and put the rose in her hand, and quietly walked away. When Nodoka and Mokuba were done shopping they went home. Nodoka had a new pair of black boots. Mokuba on the other hand had three things he could mess around with, which Nodoka had no idea what they were or what they did, but they did make him happy. And he also had a new pair of shoes. When Nodoka went to unlock the door there were flowers on the stairs. A heliotrope, a fragranced flower with purple leaves. Next to that were a blue violet and a purple columbine. And then a jonquil, which was a plant that had long narrow leaves and short-tubed yellow flower, lie next to the others. Nodoka stooped down and picked them up.  
  
"He's speaking with flowers again isn't he?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What do they say this time?"  
  
Nodoka sat down on the steps. "Devoted to you. Faithfulness. Resolute. Wanted affection returned."  
  
"What does resolute mean again?"  
  
"Firm, or determined." Nodoka sighed. She unlocked the door and walked in. Mokuba closed the door and locked it. Nodoka set the flowers on the table. She went upstairs to get a book when she came back down the old flowers and the new were put in a vase of water and set on the table, the red rose was in the center of the bouquet. She smiled at Mokuba who smiled back. She sat down on the couch with the book and Mokuba sat next to her.  
  
"Are you thinking of sending some to Seto?" Mokuba smirked.  
  
"Since different flowers mean different things, I'm thinking about it," she said to him, opening the book and flipping through the pages of flowers and their meanings.  
  
"How about that one, it's cool looking," Mokuba said.  
  
"Nah. This one!" Nodoka said.  
  
"Chickweed, what is that?"  
  
"It means a rendezvous. I need to talk to him."  
  
"All it is is little white plants. What about that one too?"  
  
"It's still white Mokuba. A white chrysanthemum means truth."  
  
"Use that chickweed, the white chrysanthemum, the cowslip, and the cranberry flowers," Mokuba said.  
  
"What?" Nodoka looked at him confused.  
  
"Chickweed, rendezvous. White chrysanthemum, truth. Cowslip, pensiveness or serious thoughtfulness. And the pink cranberry flowers, cure for heart- ache," Mokuba said.  
  
"Um, not that last one," Nodoka said.  
  
"If you don't do it, I will." Mokuba said. Nodoka growled then nodded. In the morning Mokuba wedged a note with the flowers in the front gate of the Kaiba Mansion. It was all set. 


	7. Dealing with the Past

(A/N: I only own Arilana Nodoka and Mira! Enjoy!)  
  
Chapter 7 Dealing with the Past  
Nodoka was up eating breakfast when Mokuba returned. "Where were you?" she asked reading the newspaper.  
  
"Um, Me Messenger Mokuba?" he said kiddy like.  
  
"Mokuba, you didn't!" she said dropping the paper.  
  
"You said you were! I just sped up the process," he said.  
  
Nodoka sighed. "I didn't tell him where to meet me," she said.  
  
"The coffee house where I came and got you. When I needed your help!" Mokuba said.  
  
"When do I meet him," she asked leaning back in her chair.  
  
"In four hours," Mokuba said happily.  
  
"The things I do." she said walking upstairs to take a shower. An hour later she came back down in a black tank top and black jeans. She put on her socks and the pair of black boots she bought the other day. She brought her brown hair back into a ponytail. "The things I do," she said again.  
  
"You going to go early?" Mokuba said.  
  
Nodoka shrugged. "Might as well." She walked over to the coat rack and grabbed her black trench coat. "Catch ya later, 'Kuba," she said waving bye to Mokuba.  
  
"Don't stay out too late!" Mokuba called to her laughing.  
  
"Later!" Nodoka walked out the door. She put on her coat and walked down the street. She went to the coffee shop that Mokuba told her to go to, the same one that she talked to Mira in after school before she went to America. Nodoka walked in and sat down in a chair in the back. She looked around for something to occupy her time. "A newspaper from two years ago?" Nodoka asked herself, looking at the date on it. It was dated one month after she left. She stood and picked it off the bookshelf and sat back down. Mira's school violence article was in there. Nodoka went ahead and read it.  
  
You think the schools you put your children in are safe? You're dead wrong. There is more violence in schools than there is on television. I went to different schools in the area. The worst was Domino High and Elementary Schools. I know what you must be thinking. Elementary? But it's little kids. And the ones at high school know better. Wrong. That's the thing though. The high school students act like kids and the elementary schools are like a madhouse. That's all I can write today, I'm a little low on time and I've another story to work on. That's it for now.  
  
Making Independence Really Affable  
  
"Making Independence Really Affable?" Nodoka asked herself. "What kind of pen name is that? Oh wait. I get it. M. I. R. A. Very funny," Nodoka smiled and laughed a little. She put the paper back where she found it and picked up another one. This one was two months after she left. She sifted through it and found another story by Mira.  
  
? This article is directed to Seto Kaiba! Consider this hate mail! I admit, you're a genius, but you have no idea about maintaining a relationship. It's taken me so long to get this article in the paper and now that it's in. I get to say what's on my mind. You said that you loved someone. I thought it was Arilana Nodoka. When you announced it was Mai Valentine I just about died. What the heck was that about? Was. on second thought, I can't say that, some kids read the newspaper. Actually it isn't bad so I'm gonna say it anyway. Are you paying her to go out with you? Fifty dollars to sleep together and a hundred to marry her? Just wait until Nodoka comes home. She's gonna kick your. ?  
  
That's all for now. Making Independence Really Affable  
  
Nodoka smiled. Mira was mad then. She seemed fine now. Nodoka set the paper back down and sat at the table again. The time passed slowly, and when Seto finally walked in, Nodoka was slightly happy. He looked at her. She signaled him with a slight hand movement. Seto walked over and sat across from her. "I didn't think you wanted to talk to me," Seto said.  
  
"It wasn't my intention, Mokuba did it," she said.  
  
"Mokuba?" Seto asked. "Um, mind if I ask how he is?"  
  
"He's fine. He seems to like odd little mechanical things, like you. And taking things apart and putting them back together," Nodoka said. She didn't want Seto to know, but Mokuba hand taken her computer apart, then put it back together. It was then ten times faster, but it was so fast it made the monitor explode. But she had another. "He's fine though."  
  
"This makes me think of something," Seto said.  
  
"What?" Nodoka looked to him.  
  
"It's like we're divorced or something, and Mokuba's like our kid."  
  
"Hn, it does kind of seem like that, doesn't it?" Nodoka said.  
  
"Can I see Mokuba?" Seto said quickly changing the subject.  
  
"I'll ask him, when I get home," she said. "If he wants to see you, we'll set something up. If he doesn't. then he doesn't," she said. She crossed her legs.  
  
"People are staring at us," Seto said.  
  
"They're staring at you, they don't know me, but no ordinary person would expect you to be in an ordinary coffee house," Nodoka said. She pushed a strand of hair out of her face.  
  
"You wanna go somewhere else?" Seto asked leaning forward.  
  
"Go to the park, I'll leave in five minutes," she said. He stood and left. Five minutes later she stood and left. When she got to the park Seto was sitting on a bench looking straightforward. "Come on," she said walking past him. He stood up and followed her.  
  
They were walking down the street quietly thinking when Mira and Joey jumped out of nowhere. Joey brought his hands up and started moving his pointer fingers back and forth as Mira began to break into song: "Nodoka and Seto are going out." Mira sang. Nodoka's eyes got big and she looked at Seto. "They go on dates and they make out." Nodoka and Seto took a step away from eachother. "Nodoka has long brown hair." Nodoka brought her hand up and touched her hair. "Seto enjoys sniffing underwear." Nodoka smirked and laughed a little. Seto growled at Mira. "Nodoka has a long black jacket." Nodoka looked at her jacket. Seto smirked; he wanted Mira to rank on Nodoka. "Seto likes it when he whacks it." Seto's face became red. Nodoka started cracking up. "Seto like the way she walks." Nodoka was still slightly laughing. Seto looked to Nodoka. "Nodoka likes his great big -."  
  
"Mira! Can it!" Nodoka shouted.  
  
Joey bent over laughing. Mira was right along with him. "It took me." Mira breathed in. "It took me all day to come up. with that. one. but it was well worth. well worth it!" Mira laughed.  
  
Nodoka and Seto looked at eachother. "Get 'em," Nodoka said. Joey and Mira stopped laughing and looked and Nodoka and Seto.  
  
"Oh shit," Mira said.  
  
"Run!" Joey shouted. Mira and Joey turned and started to run. Nodoka and Seto took off after them. Joey and Mira were running and ran into the Turtle Game Shop owned by Yugi's grandpa.  
  
Nodoka ran through the door as it was closing, and Seto ran into the door. Nodoka looked back at Seto, she started laughing. Yugi walked out of the back room to see Seto on the other side of the glass doors sitting on his butt and rubbing his face with his hands. "What's going on here?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Oh I'm just going to beat the crap outta Mira," Nodoka said. "But since I know where she lives, I'll get her later. I'll see you guys later, and tell Tristan I said hi." Joey nodded. Nodoka gave them a thumbs up and walked out of the store. Seto wasn't on the ground anymore. She shook her head and headed home.  
  
"Nodoka, where're you going?" Nodoka turned around, it was Seto, and he was standing really close. She took a step back. "What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
"You were standing too close," she said. She turned around and started walking again.  
  
"Nodoka," Seto said.  
  
She turned back around. "What?"  
  
"If I were to ask you to marry me, what would you say?" Seto asked.  
  
Nodoka started laughing. She looked to him. "Oh, you were serious?" Seto nodded. "Well, to start of I would kick you where the sun don't shine, then I would beat the crap out of you. Then I would tell you. 'You have a fiancé already, remember you dumb ass?' Then I would walk away, like this," Nodoka said turning stiffly and walking away. She then stopped and turned around. "Ya get that?"  
  
Seto looked away. "Yeah."  
  
"Hey, I gotta get home, Mokuba's got me on curfew," Nodoka said.  
  
"Mokuba has you on a curfew?" Seto asked.  
  
"Yeah, sad, ain't it?" she said smiling.  
  
"Can I walk you home?"  
  
Nodoka shrugged and began home again. When they got to the door, Nodoka walked up the steps. Seto followed. "Good night Seto," She said outreaching her hand."  
  
"Wha? Oh, right," said Seto. They shook hands and Nodoka walked in the house. She closed the door behind her.  
  
"Mokuba! I'm gonna kill you!" Nodoka shouted.  
  
"What did I do?"  
  
Seto smiled, shook his head, and walked away. He tried so many ways to tell Nodoka he loved her, but she did not want to hear it from flowers. She wanted to hear it straight from him. Not thorough anything. And he knew she did want him to say it. He could feel that she loved him, but he couldn't say it. Not now, not ever. Seto walked home. He lost his brother. He is stuck with a fiancé that he now knows he could never love. And the girl, that left, returned, and now distorts her own memories and feeling for him, is gone. Feeling very distorted in his mind. Seto was angered and sad.  
  
Nodoka sat at the table playing chess with Mokuba. Slightly losing, but not paying attention to it. She knew what was distracting her. She wouldn't say though. She had her best friend in a relationship, and Mokuba as a part of her family now. She loved Mokuba as a friend. She defends Mokuba with her life. She doesn't know her feelings for Tristan, but she adores him so much. Nodoka was exhausted and confused.  
  
Mira sat next to Joey on the floor in the game shop. She is concerned about Nodoka, who hasn't put out a story in who knows how long, and is taking the risk of losing her job. But Mira tries to put a story in at least once a week. She is also worried about her relationship with Joey, even though everything is fine. She tends to worry a lot though, so it's not a big deal. Mira was extremely happy.  
  
Joey looked at his feet as he moved his toes and hummed 'Pretty Fly for a White Guy' by Offspring. He found someone that had almost the same temper he did. He didn't have anything to worry about. Actually he did, he was really hungry at the moment. He was happy.  
  
Yugi sat on the counter near the register. His day had consisted of talking to Yami and cleaning his room. Yugi only wanted the best for everyone, and it seemed to be happening. It seemed to him that everything was happy. Yugi was happy.  
  
Téa sat next to Yugi on the counter. She felt bad vibes from Mira. She thought Mira hated her. Mira didn't hate her, she just didn't like it when Téa supposedly flirted with Joey, which she didn't mean to do it on purpose. It was kind of a bad habit. Téa was just looking out for him, and she didn't quite trust Nodoka. A person that runs out on everyone and then returns looking for pity or whatever she was looking for. She didn't want Nodoka hurting Tristan, and Téa felt that Nodoka was only using Tristan to get back at Seto. But Nodoka wasn't she was just confused. Téa was content, but still worried about everyone, as she usually was.  
  
Bakura brought in pizza for everyone. He noticed everyone had something on their minds. As they ate he thought of when Nodoka yelled at Seto. He liked Nodoka as a friend. She was fun to hang around with because she always spoke her mind. Even though she didn't cry, she was one of those people that wore their emotions right on the outside. Except for those times she was confused. Which was a lot of the time. Mira was cool also. She acted very much like Joey and those two agreed a lot. But now were dark times for everyone, since they had something on their minds, everything seemed more and more confusing. Everything seemed a little blown out of proportion to poor Bakura. He couldn't concentrate on schoolwork. He wanted to know why everyone was so down. But he didn't want to ask. Bakura sighed, he was so very confused.  
  
Tristan sat in the park at the bench and looked at the stars, just as he and Nodoka had done the day she came back. Tristan didn't know what was going on to make her so confused. He could sense she was always keeping something hidden. But he didn't care; they were, kind of together. They hadn't even shared their first kiss. He wished so bad for that to happen. As he looked at the stars he imagined how it would be. He imagined that him and Kaiba got into a fight. Kaiba shoved him to the ground and Nodoka ran over to him in a long white skirt and a white blouse that swayed heavenly in the wind. And she would stand above his feet with her arms outstretched and yelling at Kaiba to leave him alone. Then she would turn and help him to his feet and right infront of Kaiba, kiss him softly on the lips, leaving Kaiba speechless. She would then lean on him and hold onto him lovingly. Then they would leave and spend that night together. She would tend to his wounds from the fight and then they would be alone for that night. Now, maybe it wouldn't exactly go like that but maybe it would be something kind of like that. Tristan had a lot of time to plan that, he had been thinking of that since he first made contact with her when Joey introduced them. Tristan was blushing. He was extremely happy.  
  
Mokuba moved the castle piece. Mokuba was worried about Nodoka. She seemed down, a little blue. From the first time he met her he wanted her and Seto to be together. But now, he just wanted her to be happy. He noticed when she laughed that it was a little fake. She was so tense. Mokuba wanted his brother to think about what he'd done. Mokuba moved the bishop on the right. He was winning. Even though he had so much to think about, he was still able to comprehend all that was going on, even if everyone thought he didn't understand what was going on. For all he cared they could go to hell. He moved the queen. This was boring. He was annoyed with all the sadness. It was unbearable to him. He then noticed his brother's coldness to others had rubbed off on him. Yet, Nodoka was so caring. His heart was torn in two directions, if he knew it or not, it was so. He admired his older brother, what he did, who he was. But Nodoka was kind hearted, wasn't always booked up, and could take a joke, unlike his brother who had no time to do anything. Mokuba sighed. This was beginning to frighten him. The new situations were scary. He moved one last piece. "Checkmate." To be continued..  
(Acri: That's the end of part 1. See, the way I figure it, have like, seven parts, with seven chapters. And ta da! Well, please do review. I will be posting the second part right here! So do continue to read! Haha! I so happy!  
  
Seto: Are you done yet? Your foolish ramblings are annoying me.  
  
Acri: Cheer up Seto! .On second thought. get me a soda with one of those little umbrellas in it.  
  
Seto: I don't think so.  
  
Acri: Nodoka! Where's your hammer of Seto Bashing?  
  
Nodoka: *Playing video games against Mokuba on the TV * It's in the closet Acri!  
  
Seto: *Runs away, Acri chases him with the hammer. He stops. * I summon the Blue Eyes White Dragon!  
  
Acri: I thought I took those from you! *Runs off screaming: * Stay tuned to this story for Part 2! *Continues running. * OH MY GOD! NOT IN THE FACE!) 


	8. Part Two: Snow Dayz

(A/N: I only own Arilana Nodoka and Mira! Enjoy! This is part two!!!)  
  
Chapter 1 Snow Dayz  
Nodoka slept peacefully on the couch, Mokuba's head rest on her leg. The sun shone through the window and fell upon her face. She opened her eyes and looked around. The room was cold. She breathed out heavily only to see it float up. The air was frozen. She shivered. She looked down at Mokuba who was coughing and shaking. He opened his eyes. "Nodoka," he said weakly.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Why is it so cold?" he asked her.  
  
"I don't know. Sit up," she said. Mokuba sat up and she walked over to the window. "Mokuba! It's snowing!" she cried out.  
  
Mokuba jumped up. "Really?"  
  
"Yes! Come on!" Nodoka had never seen snow. It just seemed to stay away and go farther north. She ran into the closet and put on a cream colored sweater and a scarf, and she tossed Mokuba a dark blue sweater and a red scarf and they ran outside. They built snow fortresses and threw snowballs at eachother.  
  
Tristan walked up the driveway. "Hey Nodoka!" he called. Nodoka looked over at him and was pegged in the side of the face with a snowball thrown from Mokuba. She fell backward and laughed. Mokuba ran over and she pegged him with one. He fell to the ground laughing. Tristan looked at them and laughed. He was wearing a light blue hooded sweater and blue jeans.  
  
"Hey Tristan, aren't you cold?" Nodoka asked him.  
  
"No, I'm fine," responded Tristan.  
  
"You're insane, I'm freezing," she said laughing.  
  
"That's because we woke up in a frozen house!" Mokuba said getting to his feet.  
  
"That reminds me, I gotta get the heater pilot working again," Nodoka said standing.  
  
"I'll do that," Tristan said walking up to her.  
  
"I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself," she said. She turned and walked in the door. Tristan sat on the steps talking to Mokuba. Minutes later Nodoka called Tristan from inside the house. "Tristan! I can't get this damned thing to work! Come here and do this!" She shouted.  
  
Tristan and Mokuba laughed. Tristan stood and walked in. A little while later they walked out. "It was easy, Nodoka," he said laughing.  
  
Nodoka put her hands on her hips. "Easy this!" she said pushing Tristan off the stairs. He fell off and into the snow. She looked down at him. He wasn't moving. "Tristan.?" She asked weakly. Mokuba pinched the back of her leg. She spun around and accidentally fell off the stairs, landing next to Tristan. He turned and hugged her. "Okay, okay! Down boy!" Nodoka laughed. Tristan laughed and let go. She stood up and dusted the snow off her pants.  
  
"Snow angels!" Mokuba shouted. He ran and plopped down in the snow and started moving his arms and legs. Nodoka walked over and lie down next to him and did the same. Tristan walked over and sat on the steps. A few seconds later, Nodoka jumped up and looked at the snow angel.  
  
"Mine looks funny," she said.  
  
"Hey Nodoka!" Nodoka looked over at the caller, Mira and Joey were walking up the driveway.  
  
Nodoka ran over and greeted them. "Hey Mira, hey Joey. How are you guys?" she asked.  
  
"Just fine!" Mira said laughing. Joey smiled and nodded. He then went over to the steps and sat next to Tristan.  
  
"Hey, you guys!" Yugi called out. Yugi, Téa, and Bakura walked up to Nodoka and Mira.  
  
"Yo! What's up?" Nodoka asked.  
  
"Not much, we just wanted to see how everything was," Téa said. "So what's going on?"  
  
"Oh, Mokuba and I just woke up in a freezing cold house and saw it was snowing so, boom, here we are," Nodoka said. "Mira and Joey just got here."  
  
Mokuba sat up in the snow. "Hey Nodoka! You got any hot chocolate?" he shouted to her.  
  
"Why don't we all go in and get some?" Nodoka asked them. They all nodded. The got into the warm house and Nodoka made hot chocolate.  
  
"Yummy!" Mokuba said.  
  
Tristan took a drink. They all looked at him and started laughing. "What?" Tristan asked.  
  
Nodoka pointed to him, then to his upper lip, which was coated with chocolate and marshmallows. She could help but laugh harder as he wiped the chocolate off. When all that was done they sat at the table and told ghost stories, since it was getting late. "Little did they know, crunching through the snow was the creature they had tried so hard to get away from," Nodoka said creepily. "It slowly stepped up to the door." They were really into the story. "Then it banged on the door." Nodoka didn't get to finish her sentence before a loud banging came on her front door. At the same time they all screamed loudly. Including Joey and Tristan, they screamed like little four-year-old girls. Nodoka got up and slowly walked to the door. When she opened it, Seto stood there. She screamed again. "Oh, Seto, it's you."  
  
"Can I speak to Mokuba?" he asked. He looked worn out. Bags under his eyes and he was slouching, that wasn't a 'Seto Kaiba' quality.  
  
"You alright?" Nodoka asked.  
  
"Just let me talk to Mokuba," he said.  
  
"I'll see if he wants to talk to you." Nodoka said leaving the door open and walking over to the table. "Hey 'Kuba, it's Seto, you wanna talk to him?"  
  
"Sure, why not," Mokuba said. "Inside though, it's cold out there."  
  
Nodoka walked over and invited Seto in; he walked over and sat on the stairs to the upstairs rooms. Mokuba went and sat next to him. Nodoka closed the door. She then went back to the table. "Do you trust Kaiba with Mokuba?" Tristan asked.  
  
"I'm prepared," Nodoka said.  
  
Mokuba ran from the other room to the table. "Nodoka! I'm going back home!" Mokuba shouted happily.  
  
Nodoka smiled. "Mokuba, stay in here, I need to talk to Seto," she said getting to her feet and walking into the other room.  
  
"Nodoka." Seto said standing up.  
  
"What did you tell him?" Nodoka growled. "Don't be filling his innocent little head with false promises!" Nodoka said.  
  
"I'm not. I pro."  
  
"If you hurt him like you did before, I swear Seto Kaiba, I will."  
  
Mokuba walked into the room. "Why are you guys always fighting?" he asked.  
  
Nodoka turned around. "We're not fighting," Seto and Nodoka said at the same time. They then looked at eachother.  
  
"Yes you are," Mokuba said.  
  
Nodoka sighed. She walked over to Mokuba, and hugged him. "If you want to go, I won't stop you. But be careful." She kissed Mokuba on the forehead and released him from the embrace. Mokuba then walked over to Seto.  
  
"Are you ready to go, Mokuba?" Seto asked. Mokuba nodded.  
  
"Bye 'Kuba," Nodoka said.  
  
"Bye Nodoka," Mokuba said. Seto and Mokuba walked out the door. Nodoka walked over to the door.  
  
"Nodoka," Seto said turning around.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
"This is for taking care of Mokuba," he said handing her a wad of cash. She just looked at the money in her hand as Seto walked away.  
  
"You bastard!" She yelled at Seto. He just raised his hand in response. Mokuba walked closely at his older brother's side. They then got into a car and were gone. Nodoka growled. She slammed the door closed and turned around. "Bastard!" she shouted throwing the money someplace. She sighed and walked into the other room with everyone else.  
  
"You alright?" Mira asked.  
  
Nodoka put on one of her fake smiles. "I'm fine," she said.  
  
"Hey! Let's play a game!" Joey said.  
  
"Like what?" Yugi asked.  
  
"How about Twister!" Tristan shouted.  
  
Mira, Nodoka, and Téa looked at Tristan like he was some kind of idiot. "I don't think so, Bob," Nodoka said laughing.  
  
"Nodoka, it's been years since you've said that," Mira laughed. Nodoka just laughed in response. They ended up playing Monopoly. Mira despised the game because she was horrible at managing money, but the scary part was that Joey won. Joey, of all people won. Afterwards they played a mini tournament of Duel Monsters. The winner got the last chocolate chip cookie. An hour after the last battle began, Yugi won. But he shared the cookie with everyone since it was really big. Sooner or later everyone fell asleep.  
  
In the morning, Mira was asleep on the floor behind the couch, Joey's head was on her stomach and he was all sprawled out. Yugi was asleep on the couch. Téa was asleep on the recliner. Nodoka was asleep sitting at the table with her head down. Tristan and Bakura were asleep at the side of the table back-to-back leaning against eachother. Nodoka's alarm clock went off, it was loudly playing 'Pride [In The Name Of Love]' by U2, Nodoka jumped up, tripped over Tristan and Bakura and went upstairs and clicked it off. When she got back down, everyone was still asleep. She went to the closet and got a few pillows. She put one under Tristan's head, one under Bakura's and one under Mira's. She put on her shoes and put on her jacket. She silently slipped out the door and went down the street. A few minutes later she came back with a box of doughnuts. She opened the door and walked in. Joey immediately sat up. "Do I smell a giant doughnut?"  
  
"No, just a lot of small ones," Nodoka said.  
  
"DOUGHNUTS!" Joey shouted running to the table and sat down.  
  
Mira sat up and rubbed her head. Nodoka looked at Mira. "You know you might be able to get him to do a trick if gave him a doughnut?" Nodoka said laughing.  
  
"Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie!" Joey said.  
  
Nodoka handed him the doughnuts. "Now don't eat them all, Joey," Nodoka said.  
  
"Hehe. I won't," Joey said. He took a doughnut in his hands. "Prepare to die! But you will not go in vain. you'll feed one person and if he chokes, he'll die happy," Joey said. He then scarfed it down.  
  
Mira walked over to Joey and kissed him. "Good morning," she said.  
  
"Morning," Joey said kissing her back.  
  
"Get a room," Tristan and Nodoka said at the same time.  
  
"Actually, it's two in the afternoon, so it's not morning anymore," Bakura said rolling over.  
  
"Good afternoon, then," Mira said kissing Joey.  
  
"Afternoon," he said kissing her back.  
  
Nodoka lowered her head. "Oh come on Nodoka. Is it that you're not getting kissed," Mira said.  
  
"Excuse me." Nodoka said walking upstairs. She walked into her room and locked the door then went to her bathroom and took a shower. When she dressed and walked downstairs Tristan's mouth gaped open. "What? Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?" she asked him. She was wearing the same white blouse and long white skirt he had imagined.  
  
He shook his head. "Sorry about that," he said.  
  
"No biggie," she said. "Hey, I'm going to the store, anyone wanna go with."  
  
"I'll go, if no one else wants to," Tristan said. He looked around the room. Bakura was rolled up in a ball asleep. Téa and Yugi were also asleep. Joey and Mira were eating, they just waved bye to them. Nodoka shrugged and Tristan followed her as she stepped out the door and down the street. "Hey Nodoka," Tristan said.  
  
"Yeah?" Nodoka asked walking along.  
  
"I. was. wondering." he stuttered. He looked forward. "What the hell?"  
  
Nodoka stopped and looked at Tristan confused. "Huh?"  
  
Tristan pointed forward towards the Kaiba Mansion. Infront of the gates, Seto was standing there yelling at Mokuba who was on his side on the ground. Nodoka gasped. Her and Tristan ran over to them. "Mokuba, why did you do that?" Seto shouted.  
  
"Big brother, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." Mokuba tried to get to his feet but was struck down by his brother's hand.  
  
"Kaiba! Leave Mokuba alone!" Tristan shouted. Seto turned and looked at Tristan and Nodoka as they came to a stop and glared at him.  
  
"Well if it isn't the two lovebirds," growled Seto.  
  
"Shut up, Kaiba!" Tristan shouted. Nodoka ran to Mokuba's side. He was bleeding from the corner of his mouth.  
  
"Seto! How could you? Your own brother!" cried Nodoka.  
  
Seto turned and backhanded Nodoka in the face sending her backwards. She sat up and rubbed her face. "Don't question me!" Seto growled.  
  
Nodoka and Mokuba grabbed onto eachother and cowered near the gates. "Don't touch her again!" shouted Tristan.  
  
Seto walked over and grabbed Tristan by the front of his sweater. "You can't tell me what to do," he growled. He then shoved Tristan to the ground.  
  
Nodoka released Mokuba, stood and ran to Tristan. She stood above his feet with her arms out straight. "Kaiba! We're people too! You can't treat us like we don't matter!" cried Nodoka. Mokuba stood and walked over to Nodoka and sat near the wall.  
  
"You can be such a fool sometimes, Nodoka," Seto said.  
  
"Well. If you can hurt our hearts, then we should be able to hurt you. And I know how. But I've wanted to do this something, to this someone ever since I came back to Domino," she said. She turned, and helped Tristan to his feet. And right infront of Seto, she put her arms around Tristan's neck, looked into his eyes and kissed him deeply. Seto looked at them and his jaw dropped. He looked away. Tristan put his arms around Nodoka as they continued to kiss. Mokuba smiled. Seto growled, opened the gates of the mansion and slammed them behind him as he trudged angrily into the house. They stopped kissing and looked to eachother. They then laughed and looked at Mokuba. He stood and walked to Nodoka. She released Tristan and her and Mokuba hugged.  
  
"I should have known he was going to be like this again," Mokuba said.  
  
"Don't blame yourself. He's got a lot on his mind. With the company and Mai, and her strange ways. He doesn't have time for anything else. And the wedding, when is it again?" She asked looking Mokuba in the eyes.  
  
"It's in three days. Seto wanted me to be in it, but Mai made him change his mind. He's been really annoyed with every little thing. Except Mai, she's little miss perfect to him. That slut."  
  
"Mokuba!" Nodoka looked at him. "Where'd you learn that language?"  
  
"From Seto talking about. um, you. and you talking about Mai," Mokuba said.  
  
"You don't need to. oh wait, you heard me say that?" Nodoka looked at him. Mokuba nodded. "Hehe, um. whoops." Nodoka laughed.  
  
"Can I go back with you, Nodoka?" Mokuba asked.  
  
Tristan walked behind Mokuba and put his hands on the young Kaiba's shoulders. "Aw come on Nodoka!" Tristan said.  
  
"Of course I ain't gonna turn down little 'Kuba," Nodoka said. "Now come on, I got groceries to buy, and I need two strong men to carry them for me," she laughed. Mokuba smiled and they went to the store. When they got back to Nodoka's place, Yugi was on the recliner, Téa was on the couch, and Bakura was chewing on a pillow as he slept. Mira and Joey were nowhere to be seen. The three went into the kitchen and put away the food. As Nodoka turned the corner there were a few clothes on the floor. "What the hell?" Nodoka said looking down. She kicked the clothes out of her way as she followed the trail, which eventually led her to the laundry room.  
  
"Joey!" Nodoka heard from the other side of the door. Nodoka opened the door. "Joey, I told you not to mix the whites with the reds," Mira said.  
  
"Sorry Mira, my mistake," Joey responded.  
  
They weren't doing anything, they were just washing. Nodoka's clothes!! "What are you two doing?" Nodoka asked.  
  
"Nodoka!" Mira turned around a little startled. "Well, we saw you were getting a little behind on you're chores, so we decided to help out."  
  
"Next time, just do the dishes, okay? I don't need you guys looking at my unmentionables," she said.  
  
"You mean like your panties with the Petit Angel on the back?" Joey asked.  
  
"Joey, that was our secret!" Mira shouted.  
  
Nodoka growled. "Tell anyone, and you die," she said.  
  
"And the Happy Lover, Shining Friendship, and what was with the one with the Dark Magician on it. Yet I'm not even gonna think about the one with the Celtic Guardian," Joey laughed, as he put more clothes in the washer.  
  
"Did someone say something about the Celtic Guardian?" Tristan asked walking over.  
  
"No!" Nodoka said. She glared at Joey and Mira. "Zip it," she growled. They nodded.  
  
"It was nothing," Mira said laughing nervously.  
  
Tristan smiled. "So Nodoka," he said leaning against the wall.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What's today's Duel Monster?" Tristan asked.  
  
Nodoka looked at Tristan. "WHY YOU!" she shouted. She chased him around the house. Téa and Yugi woke up and laughed at Tristan who was being beaten by a pillow that Nodoka held in her hands. Bakura tried to help Tristan. Nodoka stopped hitting Tristan with the pillow and looked at Bakura.  
  
"Never mind," Bakura said walking to the couch and sitting down. Nodoka went back to beating on Tristan with the pillow.  
  
"Hey, Nodoka," Mokuba said laughing at Tristan.  
  
Nodoka stopped and looked at Mokuba. "Yeah 'Kuba?" she responded.  
  
"I want to ask you another favor, if I may," Mokuba said.  
  
"What is it?" Nodoka asked. Mokuba walked into the kitchen, she followed him.  
  
"I know you and Tristan are like. together. but I need you to help me separate Seto and Mai. She's being so controlling and manipulative," Mokuba said.  
  
"What do I get out of it?" asked Nodoka smiling.  
  
"Um. what do you want?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"I'm kidding, of course I'll help," she said. "You're lucky you're so adorable."  
  
Mokuba smiled and they hugged. "Thanks Nodoka."  
  
"No problem, 'Kuba." Nodoka and Mokuba walked back into the living room.  
  
"What was with that?" Tristan asked.  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know," said Nodoka. One by one everyone went home, except Mokuba and Nodoka, because they were already home. "I'm gonna hit the hay, 'Kuba," Nodoka said. Mokuba nodded and Nodoka went upstairs, Mokuba watched TV a little while longer.  
(Acri: It's 9:18. I just got back from Kung Fu class like two hours ago and I'm so tired! Gosh!  
  
Nodoka: Stop complaining Acri. Mokuba! Stop cheating!  
  
Mokuba: I win again!  
  
Nodoka: Oh no you don't!  
  
Mokuba: Hey. Nodoka. When you get that look in your eyes. it's like you wanna kill someone.  
  
Acri: *Closes curtain * Well folks, as Arilana and Mokuba fight, we will show you entertainment!  
  
Joey: *Pushes Seto on stage in a grass hula skirt. * Who's the bitch now?  
  
Seto: Wheeler. *Growls *) 


	9. P2: Taken!

(A/N: I only own Arilana Nodoka and Mira! Enjoy! This is part two!!!)  
  
Chapter 2 Taken!  
Mokuba woke up that day confused. Nodoka usually awoke him at seven in the morning, before she left for work. It was now three in the afternoon and she should be home now. Mokuba walked around looking for her. He went up to her room and saw a note on her bed. He slowly walked over and read it.  
  
Hlj szng ndf? Clmd bdg ndf! Gndfd kx lnlh lnd gfjd szh gl bdg gl gnd ndzfg lv z Kzkbz, znc gnzg kx gl gzkd gnd lnd gndh llvd.  
  
"What the? I can't understand it!" Mokuba shouted. "Huh? There's more."  
  
Hlj jncdfxgznc? Sndn K gllk ndf xnd xnljgdc gnd nzmdx Gfkxgzn, Mlkjbz, znc vknzllh Xdgl. Kv lnlh hlj knds sndfd xnd kx nls. Cl hlj szng gl knls?  
  
"This isn't making any sense! It's all jibberish!" Mokuba growled. "And there's more?"  
  
lvv kngl gnd slflc lv chbdf xpzcd. Xnd'x szkgknb vlf hlj, znc xl kx gnd Mhgnkczl Cfzbln.  
  
Sincerely, Maximillion Pegasus  
  
"Pegasus? Now I'm dead confused, I need to decode this message." Mokuba said. He took the note and went to the computer. His first instinct was letters on the keyboard. After he finished decoding, he read it again.  
  
You want her? Come get her! There is only one true way to get to the heart of a Kaiba, and that is to take the one they love.  
  
You understand? When I took her she shouted the names Tristan, Mokuba, and finally Seto. If only you knew where she is now. Do you want to know?  
  
Off into the world of cyber space. She's waiting for you, and so is the Mythical Dragon.  
  
Sincerely, Maximillion Pegasus  
  
"Pegasus has her. who should I tell?" Mokuba paced around. "Yugi and everyone else!" Mokuba grabbed his set of house keys and ran to the Turtle Game Shop.  
  
Mokuba walked into the building and everyone looked at him. "Deja vu." Téa said.  
  
"What's up, Mokuba?" Tristan asked.  
  
"Pegasus is back, and he's got Nodoka," Mokuba said.  
  
Tristan looked at Mokuba wide eyed. "Are you serious?" Tristan asked quietly.  
  
"He still wants Kaiba Corp," Mokuba said. "And I think he's working with the suits that betrayed Seto before, and I think he has access to the virtual world that Seto built."  
  
"We gotta go through that again?" Joey complained.  
  
"I'm sorry," Mokuba said.  
  
"It's alright," Mira said. She walked over and patted Mokuba on the head.  
  
"Will you. will you help?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Count me in!" Mira said.  
  
"Don't forget me," Tristan said walking up to Mokuba.  
  
"If Mira goes, I gotta help out too," Joey said.  
  
"I'll go," said Yugi.  
  
"Thank you," said Mokuba.  
  
Yugi glanced to Bakura. "Are you coming?"  
  
"Sure. I haven't anything better to do," Bakura said.  
  
Mokuba nodded and they went on. After they entered the virtual world, they all checked to see if everyone was there. Mira, Joey, Yugi, Tristan, Bakura, and Mokuba were there; Téa was on the other side waiting for them. "I wonder if this is going to be the same way as when we went to get Seto," Joey said shivering.  
  
"Are you cold?" Mira asked.  
  
"No, it's just the thought of going through all that again," said Joey sighing loudly.  
  
"Well, we're all here now. Aren't we? This should be a cinch this time. What is that?" Bakura shouted.  
  
"Yugi, isn't that the Doppelganger?" Joey stepped back. "That thing scares the hell outta me!" Joey hid behind Mira.  
  
"Joey, don't use me as a shield you're the one who is supposed to be the so- called 'Knight in Shining Armor'," Mira said.  
  
Mokuba laughed. The Doppelganger came right up to Mokuba and changed its appearance to look exactly like the young Kaiba. "Mlkjbz Kzkbz?" the creature said.  
  
"Hdx, K zm. Clppdlbznbdf, nzvd hlj xddn z slmzn clmd bh?" Mokuba asked it.  
  
"What is he saying?" Tristan asked.  
  
Mokuba turned around. "It's a code. Pegasus made it up. Here, this is the note I got from him." Mokuba handed Tristan the note and he looked at the code confused. "Turn it over," Mokuba said dully. Tristan turned it over and a look of relief came over his face. Mokuba turned back to the Doppelganger. "I think the toon monsters speak it here."  
  
"Vlllls md," it said.  
  
"Come on," Mokuba said. "It's going to take us to where we can get more information."  
  
"Vlllls. Vlllls. Vlllls." The Mokuba-mirrored Doppelganger walked through the woods, the group followed close behind.  
  
"Mokuba, how can you understand that code?" Mira asked after reading the note and handing it to Bakura to read.  
  
"All it is is the diagonal right letters under one letter on the keyboard. It didn't take me that long to decode it," he said. The sky began to cloud up. The Doppelganger ran under a tree and hid, it refused to budge when Tristan tried to get it to move.  
  
"We can go on without it," Joey said grabbing Tristan's arm and dragging him away from the terrified Doppelganger.  
  
"That thing! I swear I'll kill it!" Tristan shouted at the Doppelganger.  
  
"Calm down. Tristan, are you crying?" Bakura looked at Tristan worried.  
  
"No, I. I. I just got something in my eye, that's all," Tristan said looking away.  
  
"Are you sure?" Bakura asked.  
  
"I said that was all! And I meant it!" Tristan shouted at his friend. Tristan trudged ahead.  
  
Yugi and Bakura looked at eachother. "I think it's best to give him some room," Mira said.  
  
Bakura responded with an, "I think that would be best for us all right now."  
  
Doppelganger walked over to Mokuba. "Gndfd zfd mlfd clppdlbznbdfx zndzc. Bd czfdvjl lkggld Kzkbz." Doppelganger disappeared into the forest.  
  
"More doppelgangers? Damn Pegasus." Mokuba said.  
  
"Mokuba," Mira said shocked.  
  
"Don't get mad at me, get mad at Nodoka." Mokuba said.  
  
"She's older than you, she's aloud to curse. You're too young," said Mira crossing her arms.  
  
Mokuba turned to Mira. "You're not Nodoka! Don't boss me around!" he shouted.  
  
"I. I'm sorry Mokuba," Mira said.  
  
"Let's just find Nodoka," Yugi said. They ran ahead, and at the same time they all stopped. "Kaiba!" Yugi shouted.  
  
Seto stood there, his foot pressing down at Tristan's throat. Tristan gasped desperately. "Seto! Let him go!" Mokuba ran over and pulled at his older brother's arm. Seto swung at Mokuba, throwing him to the ground.  
  
"You've gone too far!" Joey growled. He ran over and tackled the elder Kaiba to the ground. Joey drew back ready to strike.  
  
"You've gotten stronger, but not stronger than me!" Seto threw Joey to the side like a rag doll. They both got to their feet and charged eachother.  
  
Mokuba got back up. "I thought you were just another doppelganger," Mokuba said.  
  
Seto glanced at Mokuba, which gave Joey enough time to punch the elder Kaiba in the side of the face, knocking him out. "Hey! I did it! I beat Kaiba!" Joey said jumping to his feet and punching at the air in front of him in celebration.  
  
Mokuba stood and walked over to the unconscious Seto. "I hate you!" Mokuba shouted. "I hate you, Seto!" Mokuba kicked his older brother in the side, and then again. Seto slightly opened his eyes and saw Mokuba kick him again in the side. Seto rolled over and tried to get to his feet but his little brother shoved him back to the ground.  
  
"Mokuba, settle down." Bakura said.  
  
Mokuba turned and glared evilly at Bakura. "Don't tell me what to do!" he growled.  
  
"If Nodoka were here you wouldn't be talking like that!" Mira said.  
  
"Shut up! Nodoka isn't here!" Mokuba growled.  
  
"Don't you talk to Mira like that you little pest!" Joey shouted.  
  
"Don't call my little brother that!" Seto said getting up from the ground.  
  
"You can shut up!" Mokuba growled at Seto. He walked over to his older brother and kicked him in the shin.  
  
Yugi looked at each of his friends. "You guys! We're supposed to be helping Nodoka."  
  
"Shut up Yugi!" shouted Seto.  
  
Tristan, Joey, Mira, and Mokuba looked at Seto and said, "You shut up!"  
  
Seto took a step back. "What is wrong with you people?" asked Seto.  
  
"We're trying to get Nodoka back and you are taking up our time!" Yugi said.  
  
The group moved on without a response from Seto. Seto slowly followed them. "What did you mean by 'get Nodoka back'?" Seto asked during the silent walk.  
  
They all stopped. Mokuba turned around. "Get out of here," he said.  
  
"Mokuba."  
  
Mokuba again led the way again. They got to a small desert town and Joey sighed heavily. "Here we go again," he said. They trudged into town exhausted from the argument they all had earlier. No one had apologized; they had all kept to themselves, except Joey and Mira. And Yugi and Bakura had no problem talking to eachother. Mokuba walked around and asked the townspeople if they had seen Nodoka. They told him to take the mountain path to the Faerie Temple. But be careful not to go too far, because then he would be facing the direction of the Dragon Temple. Mokuba thanked them and left. They headed along the mountain path.  
  
Seto had a look of confusion upon his face. "I never created a mountain path," he said finally. Everyone stopped and looked at him. "I never made a mountain path, a Faerie Temple, or a Dragon Temple. They must've been playing a trick on us."  
  
"Didn't Mokuba tell you to get out of here?" Joey said.  
  
Tristan glared at Seto. "You aren't that protective of this game, everyone fiddles with this piece of shit."  
  
"Tristan," Mira said.  
  
"I'm serious. This game has good graphics but the people get angry too easily. What the hell is that?" Tristan pointed behind Seto, where there stood another Seto.  
  
"Clppdlbznbdf, ccl hlj nzvd ndsx?" Mokuba asked the other Seto.  
  
"News I do have, young Kaiba," it said.  
  
"You speak English?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Yes," it said.  
  
"The news please," Yugi asked.  
  
The Seto-mirrored Doppelganger nodded and held out a small disk like contraption with silver buttons on it. He pushed the button on the right and lights flamed from it. It was a small hologram projector. Pegasus appeared. "Ah, I see you have come far, my mountain pass, isn't it wonderful?" Pegasus said. "Oh, I have you're Nodoka. If you want her, I'd be willing to trade her for Kaiba Corp." He paused for a second. "I wish I could see the looks on your faces, that would be grand. Seeing as I can't, I'll just have to settle for your looks when you see you're friend. Oh, and do hurry, you're keeping me in suspense." His expression changed to a sadistic one. "And you know how I hate that. I'll see you when I see you." Pegasus waved good-bye. He then bowed and the hologram vanished.  
  
Mokuba looked at the faces of his friends. "I'm sorry I got you guys into this," he said.  
  
"It's alright Mokuba," Mira said.  
  
Joey looked to Mokuba. "Yea, we kinda got ourselves into this one. Right guys?" They all nodded. Mokuba smiled sheepishly. Joey patted Mokuba on the head and glared at the Doppelganger. "So, you got any good news?"  
  
"I am. not at liberty to say," said the Doppelganger.  
  
"What do you mean, 'Not at liberty to say'?" Mira shouted.  
  
"You're only a bad news Doppelganger, right?" asked Mokuba. The Doppelganger nodded and handed him the projector and it disappeared. "Thought so. If it mocks Seto, it's gotta be evil." Mokuba glared at Seto and the group continued on the path.  
  
Seto's watch beeped. "Mokuba." His little brother turned around and looked at him. "It's midnight."  
  
Mira sighed heavily. "No wonder I'm so tired."  
  
"We have school tomorrow," said Bakura.  
  
"You guys can turn back, but I'm going to find Nodoka," said Mokuba as his stomach growled.  
  
"Um, 'Kuba," Seto began to say.  
  
"Call me that, I swear I'll kill you," Mokuba said.  
  
"But."  
  
"You're not Nodoka! You're a god damned bastard!" Mokuba shouted.  
  
"Mokuba! I'm you're brother, you're not supposed to act like that towards me!" yelled Seto.  
  
Mokuba looked at Seto with angry eyes. "You don't know what you are talking about, Seto!" shouted Mokuba.  
  
Seto growled angrily. He did not like it when people yelled at him, especially when it was his little brother. "Mokuba!"  
  
"Go to hell!" Mokuba shouted at Seto. Mokuba was mad, Seto never use to treat him like this. Nothing like this had ever happened to him and Seto before, until that is Mai came into their lives. She had changed his older brother, and she had manipulated his mind, and Mokuba believed that she was only there to take their money. With all this yelling and screaming it was hard for Mokuba to understand what had really happened between Seto and Nodoka. "I don't want to talk to you ever again!"  
  
"Mokuba!" Seto took a step forward. Mokuba stepped back and Mira and Joey stepped between them. "Get out of my way!" Seto shouted.  
  
"When Arilana and I were thirteen, we made a pact," Mira said. "It was that if we ever had a kid, and something happened to one of us, the other would take care of their child."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Seto growled.  
  
"Arilana, she told me that Mokuba was like a son or a really good friend to her," Mira said.  
  
Seto stepped forward and Joey went between him and his girlfriend. "Take another step and I'll have to hurt ya," Joey said. Seto stepped back. "That's what I thought."  
  
They continued on the path silently. Mokuba and Seto were both thinking about what Mira had said. Mokuba looked at the surroundings. "There, the temple we're looking for."  
  
"I'm surprised she's not in the Dragon Temple, lord knows she could survive," said Seto.  
  
"Shaddap!" Joey growled.  
  
"Let's just hurry, we don't know what's going on in there," Yugi said running up to the large white marble doors of the Faerie Temple. Mira, Joey, Mokuba, Tristan, and Bakura quickly followed. Seto slowly took his time. There were three doors on the inside. Nodoka appeared.  
  
"Nodoka!" Mokuba ran over and tried to hug her but he went straight through and hit the wall.  
  
"Not quite," Nodoka said.  
  
"What?" Mira looked at Nodoka confused. "You're a doppelganger, right?"  
  
"Yes," said the Nodoka-mirrored doppelganger. She was wearing a flowing black dress. "I have received instructions that you should choose a door. If you choose right, you go on, if you choose wrong, it's game over for who ever opened the door. Do you understand?"  
  
"What? Game over? Just like that?" Joey shouted.  
  
"Yes. And I am also to inform you that there is something large on the line."  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Seto.  
  
"If you win, you get your friend back. If you lose, Master Pegasus gets Kaiba Corp," she said.  
  
"What? No way!" shouted Seto. Mokuba looked back at Seto. "Don't look at me like that."  
  
Mokuba looked at the fake Nodoka. "You got a deal," he said.  
  
"What?" shouted Seto.  
  
The doppelganger nodded and disappeared. "Now, which door?" Bakura asked. Yugi shook his head.  
  
"This is difficult," Mira said sitting down.  
  
"Mokuba, I can't believe you just did tha."  
  
"Shut up Seto!" Mokuba walked over to the first door on the left. He put his ear against the door. "It's quiet." He walked over to the next and did the same. "Silent." He walked over to the last one and did the same. "I hear fluttering. I'm going with this one." He placed his hand on the handle.  
  
Yugi ran up to the young Kaiba. "Let me do it. Just incase it's the wrong door." Mokuba nodded and took a step back. Yugi took the handle and opened the door. It led to three more doors. "Not again."  
  
They all passed into the room and the doorway they went through disappeared. "There's no way out," said Joey.  
  
"Yes, state the obvious, it's what you're good at, stupid chihuahua," Seto said.  
  
Tristan looked Seto right in the eyes. "Yeah, well. I heard that you were down on your hands and knees at Nodoka's command!" Tristan said.  
  
"Yo! Really?" Mokuba asked turning around.  
  
"Well, you heard wrong. That never happened," said Seto.  
  
"Yes it did."  
  
"Who said that?" Seto growled. He turned around and saw another Nodoka- mirrored Doppelganger. This one was wearing a flowing purple dress.  
  
"Ah, good to see you are all here," she said.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Joey growled.  
  
"Oh, my apologies, Master Pegasus was looking forward to a game over," she said. "Choose your next door." She said and disappeared with the words: "Best of luck to you."  
  
"Now which one?" Joey asked.  
  
Mokuba tried the same tactic. "All of them are noisy. There's no telling."  
  
"I'll take the chance," Joey said bravely.  
  
"Don't you dare!" Mira shouted.  
  
"It's only a game," Joey said kissing her. He walked to the first door on the left. "Here goes nothing." Joey opened the door. It was the right one. "Yeah!" Joey ran through and the others followed.  
  
"Bravery is a trait you don't find often."  
  
"How many of you are there?" Seto growled. "And where's the real Nodoka?"  
  
This Nodoka was wearing flowing blue dress. "You'll just have to find out." She walked over to Seto and caressed his face. "Patience," she said.  
  
"Get away from me!" he shouted. He took a step backwards, tripped over a loose stone and landed on his butt.  
  
The doppelganger laughed. "You're odd." It took a step back. "You've come this far," she said to them. "Don't fail now." And then she disappeared.  
  
"I got this one," said Mira.  
  
"Over my dead body!" Joey said.  
  
"That can be arranged," Seto said.  
  
"Do you hear a buzzing sound?" Bakura asked.  
  
"It's getting closer," Yugi said stepping backward.  
  
"The room is shaking!" Tristan called out. Mokuba fell. "The ceiling's coming down!"  
  
"Damn Pegasus!" Mira shouted. She ran over to one of the doors and opened it. "Holy!"  
  
"Mira!" A large dragon was attacking Mira, Joey ran over to help, but the door closed in his face. "MIRA!" Joey pounded on the door. "Open up! Open damn you!"  
  
"Joey, she's gone." Tristan walked over and helped his friend to his feet. "Come on. Like you said earlier. it's just a game," said Tristan.  
  
"It's not the point." Joey said.  
  
"Pegasus is probably watching now. Show him you're not going to give up," Mokuba said.  
  
The door that Mira disappeared into opened up and Mira ran out closing the door behind her. Her clothes were just slightly torn. "Damn." Mira said.  
  
"Mira!" Joey ran over to her and kissed her. "How'd you live?"  
  
"Nodoka." Mira said.  
  
"Nodoka?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"The ones that we passed, the two doppelgangers and a completely different one. like an angel-like kind, they killed the dragon and allowed me to come back," said Mira, all in one breath.  
  
"Let's just take our time on the doors," said Yugi.  
  
Mokuba tested the doors. "The one Mira came out of made my ear numb. The middle one feels cold, and the last one is unbearably hot."  
  
"Elements!" Bakura said. "What's Nodoka's favorite?"  
  
"Mira?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"What did she say?" Mira thought to herself. "'Cheer up Mira! The fire will make you feel better.' Hey! It's fire!"  
  
"Here goes nothing." Mokuba said. He opened up the door that felt warm. "Yeah! This is it!" They all passed through.  
  
There were two Nodoka's this time. And they were fighting eachother. "It told you not to hurt them!"  
  
"They made the wrong choice!"  
  
"You inflicted the wrong choice! You insignificant little." The doppelganger in the flowing green dress stabbed the one in the blue with a sword. The one in the blue faded away with the sword stuck in her. The one in the green then turned to the group and smiled. "Glad to see you all here."  
  
Joey took a step forward. "I swear."  
  
"I bet you do," the doppelganger interrupted. Mira laughed.  
  
"Hey," Joey looked at Mira. "Your not supposed to laugh."  
  
"Well I just did," she said smiling. Tristan walked behind Joey and pushed him towards Mira.  
  
"Hey Tristan, what was that for?" Joey asked. Tristan winked. "Oh." Mokuba smacked himself in the face with his hand. He couldn't believe Joey was so dense.  
  
"You know what I really like?" The doppelganger said.  
  
Mokuba looked at it. "No, what?"  
  
"Miso soup on a cold winter day," she said. "Oh sorry, I must go," she bowed to Mokuba and disappeared.  
  
"Back to work," Mokuba said. He walked over to the first door. "Smells like pizza." He went to the next. "Smells like. sushi."  
  
"Sushi has a smell?" Mira asked.  
  
"Yeah," Mokuba responded. He walked to the last door. "No smell."  
  
Seto walked over to the door. "We go through this one," he said roughly. He pushed Mokuba out of the way and walked through. "Come on," he said from the other side. They followed.  
  
"Hiya!" said the next Nodoka-mirrored Doppelganger. This one was wearing a flowing yellow dress. "I've got a message for you, Mokuba," the doppelganger said handing Mokuba another hologram projector.  
  
Mokuba pressed play. "Hello again." It was Pegasus. "I'm shocked that you have gotten this far. And I noticed that you've gotten one of my Doppelgangers killed. And that one that died seemed to have fallen for you, Seto Kaiba," Pegasus walked over to a tied up Nodoka. "I wonder if that's her true feelings." Nodoka shook her head rapidly. She jumped up, hopped over and tackled Pegasus. Pegasus stood up and smacked her in the face. She knelt down and had her face lowered. "Hurry up, I can't hold my temper for long." The hologram died down.  
  
"Nodoka!" Tristan shouted.  
  
"My apologies," said the doppelganger.  
  
"Shut up," Tristan growled. "You damn doppelgangers make this so much harder."  
  
Bakura walked over and put his hand on Tristan's shoulder. "If it wasn't for the doppelgangers we wouldn't know where to go. and the last one gave us a hint."  
  
"You're right Bakura." Tristan said.  
  
"So, Doppelganger, do you have any hints?" Seto asked.  
  
She crossed her arms. "Not any that I would tell you!" she said.  
  
"What? Why not?" Seto growled.  
  
"Because you are marrying Mai Valentine, and lord knows she's the disease via!" she said.  
  
Seto lunged at the doppelganger. It disappeared and reappeared behind Tristan. "You don't learn, do you Seto?" She asked. She walked infront of Tristan, turned around and kissed the brown trench coat wearing eighteen year old. "Catch ya later," she said disappearing.  
  
"That was scary," Mira said.  
  
"You're telling me," said Joey. He walked over and nudged Tristan in the side. "Well, well, well."  
  
"That was scary." Tristan mumbled.  
  
"Was it scary because you just realized you're gay?" Seto asked.  
  
"Seto!" Mira shouted. "That was uncalled for!"  
  
"Shut up, you two dollar whore!" Seto growled.  
  
"Don't talk to her that way!" Joey immediately got in Seto's face.  
  
Bakura and Yugi ran over and tried to separate them before a fight broke out. "You guys, you're acting like immature seven year olds!" Bakura shouted.  
  
"Knock it off you guys!" Yugi was trying his best to hold Joey back. Bakura was desperately trying to keep Seto from attacking.  
  
"I'll knock his head off if he says anything like that again!" Joey yelled.  
  
Mira walked over and put her hand on Joey's shoulder. "Relax," she said. "When I feel like it, I'll kick his ass." Joey nodded.  
  
"I'd like to see you try." Seto smirked.  
  
"Well. I can always get Nodoka to do it, you won't hit her!" Mira sneered.  
  
"Y. I. w. You don't know that!" Seto shouted.  
  
Mokuba approached the first door. "She'll kick your ass Seto." Mokuba opened the door. "AHH!"  
  
"MOKUBA!" Seto broke from Bakura's grip. He ran over and pushed Mokuba back just in time to where the monster on the other side of the door grabbed him instead of his little brother.  
  
"Seto!" Mokuba called out. The door shut.  
  
"I don't think he'll be coming back," Joey said. "Kaiba annoys the doppelgangers."  
  
Mokuba sunk to the ground. "Why did you do that?" Tears fell from his eyes and made the cobblestone damp. "Why Seto? Why?" He stood up. "You damn fool! That was my door!" he shouted.  
  
"Mokuba. I'm sorry." Bakura said.  
  
Mokuba wiped his tears away. "It's alright you guys. He wasn't there for me before, except for at Duelist Kingdom," he said.  
  
Joey walked over to the middle door. "This game sucks," he said roughly. He opened the door. "Damn it!" Another monster appeared and took him as well.  
  
"Joey!"  
  
"Take care Mira!"  
  
"No, Joey!" Mira ran over to the door and it closed. "Joey, come back," she said weakly. "Come back."  
  
Tristan walked over to the last door. He opened it and they all, deathly silent, walked through. "We just gotta get through this." Tristan said quietly.  
  
Another doppelganger appeared. This one was in a flowing orange dress. "Hello."  
  
"Which door is it?" Yugi asked.  
  
"My condolences," she said. "But I can't tell you the door."  
  
"What about a hint?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Sorry," The orange Nodoka disappeared.  
  
"I just wanna get out of here." Mira said.  
  
"We'll leave when we get Nodoka," Mokuba said.  
  
Tristan's watch beeped. "It's four in the morning," he said. "Time sure does fly when you're trying not to die."  
  
Yugi walked over to the doors and tried Mokuba's technique. "What's Nodoka's favorite animal, Mira?"  
  
"She never told me. Lemmie see," Mira responded. She walked over to the first door and opened it. "Here we go again." A monster grabbed her and the door closed.  
  
"Mira!" they all shouted.  
  
Bakura walked over to the last door, which was the one on the far right. "Taking a risk," he said opening that door. "Let's go!"  
  
They walked through and ran into another Nodoka, this one was wearing a red dress. "Another gone. sad, isn't it," she said.  
  
"Stop playing our emotions!" Tristan shouted.  
  
"You think I like this?" she shouted back. "I'm just doing my job!"  
  
"Then quit." Mokuba said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Quit your job."  
  
"I can't just up and quit. it's not right."  
  
Mokuba sighed. "Just like the real Nodoka." he said.  
  
"I must go. Pegasus calls me," she said disappearing.  
  
"No clues." Yugi said.  
  
Mokuba went along with what he always did. Mokuba was silent. "Which one is it?"  
  
"Is there nothing?" Bakura asked.  
  
"It's all quiet," Mokuba responded.  
  
"It's all or nothing." Yugi sighed. He walked to the first door and opened it. "Later you guys." A monster grabbed Yugi and the door slammed shut.  
  
"Yugi!" Tristan shouted.  
  
Bakura began to pace. "This is worthless."  
  
Mokuba stopped and looked at the last two. "Don't talk like that!" he said. "If we give up now, their sacrifices would be in vain."  
  
"But there's so much at stake." Tristan said.  
  
Mokuba growled. "Remember what Joey said? 'It's only a game'," Mokuba said. Tristan and Bakura nodded. "Yugi took a risk we have all taken. You either get the door, or you don't. but. it would be really good right now to get the right door." They all three walked to the last door. "Here goes nothing." They put their hands on the handle and turned it. Correct door. They sighed heavily in relief and passed through.  
  
"Yeah!" Tristan said happily. He looked around and saw a small orb of white light. "What is that?" The orb began to grow. Larger, then larger, then larger still until the orb took the shape of a large egg. The light faded and another Nodoka stood there. This one was floating and wearing a white blouse and white pants. She opened her eyes and white angel wings sprouted from her back.  
  
"Welcome," she said.  
  
"Is this the last one of this picking doors crap?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Mokuba nodded. "Let me open the door this time." Tristan said. "If it's the wrong one, I'll just have to live with it." He walked to the middle one. He opened it. "I guess I'll live with it," he said. He was taken and the door shut.  
  
"Godspeed, Tristan," Bakura said.  
  
She landed and walked over to them. "I'm very sorry for all that Pegasus has put you through."  
  
"It's only a game." Mokuba growled. He kept repeating it. "IT'S ONLY A GAME!" Mokuba ran to the first door and swung it open. He charged into another room. "Hey! I thought you said that was the last one!" Bakura walked in.  
  
The doppelganger appeared in the room. "I thought it was the last one," she said. "I'll scout it out." She went vanished through the doors. When she came back she said, "The middle one."  
  
Mokuba nodded. "I hope you aren't lying," Bakura said. Bakura walked over to the middle one and opened the door. "It's clear." They walked through. The room they were in was pitch black. "I can't see anything."  
  
"Nodoka!" Mokuba called out.  
  
"Nodoka!" Bakura shouted in the other direction.  
  
The angel-like Nodoka-mirrored doppelganger began to float. Her wings beat and rays of light filled the room. Mokuba saw Nodoka and ran over to help her. She was leaning against the wall. Bakura walked over to help. Mokuba untied her hands and Bakura untied her feet. She began to fall, but Bakura caught her. Mokuba took the tape off her mouth. "Come on, I'll show you the way out," said the doppelganger. They began to run back over to her. "Watch out!" She disappeared from their view and appeared behind them, only to be stabbed in the stomach with a spear.  
  
"Foolish traitor," Pegasus sneered. He had tried to hit Bakura, but the doppelganger had intercepted.  
  
Mokuba and Bakura turned around. The angel-like Nodoka pulled the spear from herself. "I'm not foolish. I love. and I would and have sacrificed myself for my friends to live. If I am given a chance, I'll do it again."  
  
"Nodoka." Mokuba weakly said.  
  
All of the other doppelgangers appeared. The blue one that supposedly had died was the last one to show up. "We won't let you hurt our friends anymore, Pegasus!" said the blue Nodoka.  
  
"Even if they annoy us, hurt us, or don't talk to us," said the orange one. "We will always help them."  
  
"We trust them with every fiber of our being!" said the black wearing Nodoka.  
  
"And we know, that whatever we do for them, will be repaid with the same kindness one day," said the purple.  
  
"We'll sacrifice our happiness for the happiness of others!" the red one said.  
  
"Even if it means sacrificing something so dear to our hearts that we shall not name it!" said the green.  
  
"You can't say you could do that as well," said the yellow. "Because, what friends do you have?"  
  
"That's enough!" Pegasus scolded. "Mythical Dragon! Come to me!" Pegasus summoned the Mythical Dragon.  
  
The angel-winged Nodoka made a sword appear in her hand. "Faulty dragons." she mumbled. She took flight and over to the dragon. She quickly sliced at the dragon, and then she came to a stop infront of Bakura and Mokuba. The dragon fell. She turned around and walked over to the dragon. "That was a waste of time." As a final motion before death, the dragon reached up and clawed her arm. She jumped backwards and sat on the ground with her wounded arm hanging limply. The other colors joined with the white and she walked back over to the dragon. She extender her wings, jumped up, and came down with a swift motion that decapitated all five heads of the Mythical Dragon. "Don't piss me off, Pegasus," she said. Pegasus turned around and ran off. The angel walked over to Bakura and looked down on the lifeless body of her counterpart. "Take care of her. or I guess me," she laughed. "No matter what. okay?"  
  
Bakura nodded. "We will."  
  
"Tell the other's. we said hi," she said.  
  
"I don't get it," Mokuba said shrugging.  
  
"Pegasus created us by extracting Nodoka's soul and shredding it into different sections. We're the different sections. We're not alike. We have different feelings," she said.  
  
"I think I get it. You guys were separate parts of Nodoka's soul, so you fought eachother and tried to get us out before we got hurt," Bakura said.  
  
"Yes. Different parts of us want different things. I'm embarrassed to say this, but, I think a part likes you Bakura," she said and then laughed. Mokuba and Bakura laughed also. "Well, time for us to go," she said.  
  
"What? Where?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Home," she said floating upward. She laid down in the air horizontally and slowly came back down into the real Nodoka.  
  
They were brought out of the game. 


	10. P2: A Few Screws Loose

(A/N: I only own Arilana Nodoka and Mira! Enjoy! This is part two!!!)  
  
Chapter 3 A Few Screws Loose  
"Where's Nodoka?" Bakura and Mokuba shouted.  
  
"Calm down, some of Pegasus's minions brought her over," Tristan said.  
  
Nodoka walked out of the back room of the building. "What happened?" She asked rubbing her head. "And why does my arm hurt?" She rolled up her sleeve. "Now, if I could remember how this happened, I wouldn't be so scared." Nodoka closed her eyes and began to fall forward.  
  
Bakura was the first one the get there. He caught her and held her close. "Let's get you home," he said. He picked Nodoka up and turned around. Everyone was looking at him funny. "What?"  
  
"What are you doing?" Tristan asked, a little annoyed with Bakura's actions.  
  
Mokuba walked over to Bakura "Back in the game, Nodoka told me and Bakura."  
  
"Bakura and I," Mira said.  
  
Mokuba growled. "Bakura and I to take care of her while she recuperated," he paused. "So we're going to do just that."  
  
"I don't get it," Seto said. "She was knocked out cold when she got here."  
  
Bakura and Mokuba looked at eachother and laughed. "You wouldn't understand!" Mokuba laughed. And Bakura and him left the building. The two got two got to Nodoka's home; Mokuba took out his key and unlocked the door. They took Nodoka to the couch and Bakura set her down.  
  
"She gets heavy after a while," said Bakura laughing.  
  
Nodoka rolled over. "I heard that," she mumbled.  
  
"I didn't say anything!" Bakura said he then sat heavily down on the floor.  
  
"Sure you didn't," Nodoka said.  
  
"Hey, Nodoka, are you feeling better?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Yeah, I need some fresh air, I'm gonna go for a walk." Nodoka stood and walked over to the door.  
  
"Want one of us to go with you?" Bakura asked.  
  
"Nah, I'm fine." She ran up to her room, quickly took a shower, changed and ran out of the door taking her keys and her coat with her. She ran down the steps and out of her yard. She threw on her coat and put her keys in her pocket. She didn't know why she was running; she didn't have anywhere to really be. She slowed down and walked around town. She was walking passed the gates of the Kaiba Mansion when Mai showed up. "Hello, Mai," Nodoka said kindly.  
  
"What are you doing around here?" Mai said, her voice full of malice. "What are you wearing? Those look like my clothes!"  
  
"I started this trend. and I'm on a walk. do you have a problem with that?" Nodoka asked. Mai was wearing clothes that looked a lot like Nodoka's.  
  
"Yeah, you're on my property!" Mai growled.  
  
"The side walk is public property," Nodoka said. Mai shoved Nodoka through the gates and onto the grass. "Hey! What's the big idea?" Nodoka yelled. She was about to get up but Mai kicked her back onto the ground.  
  
"You've annoyed me enough!" Mai said. She pulled a gun from her pocket; at the same time Nodoka reached to her side and pulled out the same gun she threatened the suits with the first time she was on Kaiba property.  
  
"With this gun here I could blow a hole straight through your head, all you can do to me is put out one eye, or barely break the skin," Nodoka growled. Mai gasped, which gave Nodoka enough time to trip her and kick the gun out of her hand. Nodoka walked over and picked up the gun, when she turned around Mai punched her in the face. Nodoka jumped to her feet, spun around and kicked Mai in the side of the face. "Disappear, outta here, it was time to pay my due. Never guessed that you'd be dressed in my clothes and in my shoes. Couldn't wait to move right in, if I were you I'd be concerned. Ain't no way you're coming in, bet'cha didn't count on my return. Thought you were so tough, had it all under control. Now enough is enough! I'm gonna take back what you stole. Give it up, 'cause now I'm back. On my own, all alone, this ain't how the story ends. Now I see, those close to me, they were just their rag of friends. You suckered everyone inside, with promises that pull them on. You may be topped off tonight. The bigger they come, the harder they fall. So give him up, 'cause now I'm back."  
  
"You. You want Seto?" Mai asked standing up. She was scared.  
  
"Slaughter ya later," Nodoka said tucking the gun back into the side of her pants. "Oh, and don't piss me off if I'm only on a walk." Nodoka walked down the street.  
  
"Hey, lady," said some guy to Nodoka.  
  
"Yeah, what is it?" Nodoka responded.  
  
"You're Arilana Nodoka right?"  
  
"Yeah," she said.  
  
"You're like a legend in America! You're a great duelist!"  
  
"Um, thanks," Nodoka said. "But I don't think I'm that good."  
  
"Are you insane? I bet you could beat Seto Kaiba! Or even Yugi Mutou!"  
  
"I played Yugi for a cookie, he won," Nodoka laughed.  
  
"Huh? Well anyway, do you have any advice for a novice like me?" The guy asked.  
  
"Go with strategy instead of brute force. And go on you're instincts," Nodoka said. The guy nodded, shook her hand and left. "Odd people in town today." she said to herself. She walked down the street and kept seeing signs that said she was the best duelist in the U.S. She got free food in one restaurant. Free cards in this one game shop and a whole bunch of little kids challenged her. Of course she didn't battle them, she just gave them one of the cards she didn't use in her deck. Then they happily ran off. Nodoka was playing soccer with some little kids when Mira and Joey flagged her down. She called time out and ran over to her friends.  
  
"I thought you didn't like little kids," Mira said.  
  
"These challenged me to a duel monsters game, I gave them a card and then they wanted to play soccer, so, here I am," Nodoka said, she was smiling like a little kid.  
  
"Nodoka, you're scaring me," Joey said.  
  
Nodoka laughed. "I just haven't had this much fun in who knows how long!"  
  
"So, how'd you get this 'Greatest Duelist Ever' title that I've been hearing about so much?" Joey asked.  
  
Nodoka shrugged. "Duel Madness?" she said.  
  
At the same time Joey and Mira said, "What?"  
  
"In my brain!" she laughed.  
  
"You're scaring me," Mira said. "You never used to have any cards and now all of a sudden you are being called the 'Best Duelist Ever'?"  
  
Joey tapped Mira on the arm. "It's 'Greatest Duelist Ever', Mira."  
  
"Whatever!" Mira shouted.  
  
The soccer ball flew over and hit Nodoka in the back of the head. She turned around. "I thought I said time out!" she shouted to them. She turned back around. "All I did was get some cards in the mail sent from somewhere here in Domino, and then I was looking through them as I walked down the street and some one challenged me. I didn't know who it was, I battled him and won and then a lot of other people started to challenge me, and I beat them too. and then, no one wanted to duel me anymore. And then I got transferred. They threw me a going away party at school. So I came back here because of my job. And now I got little kids trying to duel me."  
  
"Nodoka! Can we continue playing?" called a little girl.  
  
Nodoka turned around. "You guy go ahead and play, I gotta go."  
  
"Bye Nodoka!" said the kids in unison.  
  
"Nodoka, did you know that since you became famous and all this stuff that Mai has been chucking out rumors like who knows what?" Joey said. The three began to walk.  
  
"Oh, no problems to that, I almost literally scared the shit out of her earlier," Nodoka laughed.  
  
"How?" Mira asked. Nodoka swept back the side of her coat to show her gun. "Now that's the Nodoka I remember." Mira smiled.  
  
"You bet your ass it is!" Nodoka laughed. "Hey, let's get Mokuba, Bakura, Tristan, and Yugi and let's go do something!"  
  
"What's up with you?" Joey asked.  
  
"I don't know, I'm going crazy. I need to go lay down," Nodoka trudged home. She walked in the door, over to the couch and plopped down.  
  
"Nodoka, are you okay?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Just a few screws loose," she said. She then curled up.  
  
"You mean a few loose screws?" Mokuba asked. Nodoka didn't answer, because she was already asleep. Mokuba walked over to the closet and got a blanket, he walked over to Nodoka and placed the blanket over her and then showed Bakura where the room he would be sleeping in was. It was the room Mokuba usually slept in, when he wasn't up all night watching TV. Bakura went to bed and Mokuba slept on the recliner.  
  
The next day, Mokuba woke up, and Nodoka didn't for the whole day. The next day, Nodoka woke up at two in the afternoon. "Where am I?" Nodoka asked.  
  
A knock came at the door. Mokuba woke up and answered it. "Ah! Seto! What are you doing here?" Mokuba asked his older brother.  
  
"I'm here to see Nodoka. Move out of my way Mokuba," Seto said.  
  
"She's not any better than she was yesterday, Seto!" Mokuba growled.  
  
"Look, I need to ask her about something," Seto said.  
  
"Fine, but make it quick."  
  
Seto walked in and over to Nodoka. "Hey," he said. He shook her awake.  
  
"Zark off you nard!" She mumbled loudly.  
  
"Nodoka! It's me, Seto."  
  
"Like I said before, zark off you nard!" She growled.  
  
"Nodoka!" Seto shouted. Seto's shouting startled Nodoka and she jumped up and landed on the floor at Seto's feet.  
  
"Don't shout," Nodoka said getting to her feet. She looked him in the eyes. "What do you want?"  
  
"Mai told me you said something to her a couple days ago," Seto said.  
  
"I don't know where my mind has been for the last couple of days. I may have said something I have no idea that I said," Nodoka said taking a step back. "Mokuba has informed me that I said 'just a few screws loose'."  
  
Seto growled. "Nodoka."  
  
"Yes?" Nodoka yawned.  
  
"If you ever put a gun to my fiancé's head again, I'll have to hurt you," Seto said.  
  
"God! You are so thick headed!" Seto backhanded her across the face. "Psht. you think that hurts? I've been shot, clawed, attacked, you name it I've either hit it, or been hit by it!" Nodoka shouted.  
  
"Um, Nodoka," Mokuba walked in the room. "Hey! What's going on here?"  
  
Seto and Nodoka eyed eachother evilly. "Seto Kaiba, I challenge you to a game of Duel Monsters!" Nodoka growled.  
  
"Ha! You don't stand a chance!"  
  
"Would you like to make a bet to back that up?"  
  
"You're on! If I win, you have to go on a date with me, kiss me, and do everything a normal girlfriend is supposed to do!" Seto growled.  
  
"Fine! And if I win, you gotta pay for and serve a full-fledged meal for Mokuba, Bakura, Tristan, Yugi, Téa, Joey, Mira, and me and five people of my choice. And you have to wear a big dog costume!"  
  
Seto growled, he knew he couldn't lose. "Fine! Tomorrow at Kaiba Land! Be there, or forfeit," he said. Seto turned around and walked out of the room then out the front door.  
  
"Nodoka! You can't win against Seto," Mokuba said.  
  
"Yes I can. Zephyr gave me some cards when I was in America," she said smiling.  
  
"It doesn't matter, Seto's still the top duelist in the world!" Mokuba said.  
  
"Hey, relax 'Kuba. I ain't gonna lose. No worries, okay?"  
  
Mokuba nodded. "Okay."  
  
"Good, now. you know you're bro's deck, you gotta gimmie some hints on how to set mine up," Nodoka said.  
  
"Sure, come on," Nodoka went and got her cards and her and Mokuba set up a great forty card deck. That night they slept with their heads on the table. Bakura woke Mokuba up and had him go sleep in his room. Bakura just picked up Nodoka and carried her to her room. He set her down on her bed and she shifted restlessly. She accidentally grabbed Bakura around the neck and pulled him to her. She put her arms around his waist and hugged him. Bakura shivered, she was breathing right down his neck.  
  
"Nodoka," Bakura whispered. He didn't want to wake her up, but he didn't want to be tempted to do something they both didn't want to do. Bakura ignored everything and went to sleep.  
  
Bakura and Mokuba both woke up when there was a scream at the first sight of dawn. "Bakura!" Nodoka jumped to her feet. "Did something happen between us?" Nodoka asked. She was a little confused.  
  
"No," Bakura said standing to his feet. "I was bringing you up to your room because you fell asleep down stairs with your head on your cards and you grabbed me by the neck and pulled me into bed. I know it was an accident! But I did try to wake you up, you just hugged me tighter," Bakura said.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry Bakura. I didn't mean to do that. I'm. oh god. I'm sorry," she said.  
  
"Nodoka, it's okay. Anyway, you better hurry, I do intend on laughing at Seto if you win," Bakura said.  
  
"Ah! I almost forgot! Thank you Bakura!" Bakura left her room and she took a shower.  
  
Mokuba was standing at the top of the stairs. "Did I miss something?" Mokuba asked. He was very suspicious of his friend.  
  
"Nothing happened, Mokuba," Bakura said.  
  
"You better be telling the truth," Mokuba said walking down the stairs. He walked to the table and gathered Nodoka's cards. Nodoka came down the steps in a black tank top and black jeans. She went into the closet and pulled out a black trench coat. She put it on and Mokuba handed her her cards. She put them in a case and slipped them into her pocket.  
  
"Wish me luck, you guys," she said. Bakura smiled and Mokuba bowed then mock saluted. Nodoka ran to Kaiba Land. When she opened the door there was a huge crowd. "Wow," she said.  
  
"Nodoka! It's Nodoka!" She heard from the crowd around her.  
  
Tristan was jumping up and down. "Hey!" He landed then jumped again. "Nodoka!"  
  
There were red ropes leading to the dueling arena. There was also a large TV set up so that the crowd could watch the duel. Nodoka walked over to the part of the ropes nearest to Tristan. He squeezed through. "Whadda ya think?" she asked him.  
  
"Kick his ass," Tristan responded. Nodoka nodded. "Mira and Joey are right up by the TV. Yugi's some where up there," he said pointing to the stands in the back. "His grandpa is with him, and so is Téa. Bakura and Mokuba just called me up and decided to come. They should be here any moment."  
  
Nodoka nodded. "Wish me luck," she said.  
  
Tristan grabbed her and kissed her. When they separated he said, "Remember, believe in the 'Heart of the Cards'."  
  
Nodoka smiled. "I wouldn't forget it for the world." She began walking again. When she entered the arena a camera crew ran up to her.  
  
"Miss Nodoka!" said the reporter.  
  
"Ah! Zephyr, I didn't know you would be here," Nodoka said. They worked together.  
  
"Your on the air, this is showing around the world," he said. "Including that room you just went through."  
  
"Oh. okay then," she said. She looked into the camera and waved. "Hey you guys!" she laughed.  
  
"Miss Nodoka, we have a couple of questions for you," said Zephyr.  
  
"Okay, go for it!"  
  
"Alright. We heard from Mr. Kaiba that you two have a bet riding on this duel. He won't say anything about it, so we decided to ask you. What is this bet about?"  
  
"Ah, yes," she said. "If I lose this duel, I must go out with Seto in public, kiss him, and do everything a normal girlfriend should do. And if I win, he has to pay for and serve a full-fledged meal for my friends Mokuba, Bakura, Téa, Yugi, Tristan, Joey, Mira, me, and five other people of my choice. And he must wear a dog costume," Nodoka smiled.  
  
"This is going to be a wondrous duel, do you believe so?"  
  
"Of course I do, and I don't intend on losing. At least not to him." She laughed.  
  
"Well, thank you for your time. And now go up there and do your best," Zephyr said.  
  
She walked over to where Seto was standing, which was next the arena. They both pulled out their decks and handed them to eachother. They shuffled eachother's decks and handed them back. They turned and walked to the stations. Nodoka was nervous. She set her deck down and drew five cards. Her and Seto looked at eachother.  
  
"It's time to duel!" They said at the same time.  
  
Nodoka drew a card and set down two magic cards and a Curse of Dragon. "Go," she said. Her voice was shaky.  
  
"You sound nervous Nodoka," Seto said calmly drawing a card and setting down a Rude Kaiser in defense mode, and another card.  
  
"Oh, I'm fine. You just. you just worry about how bad I'm going to school you." She drew a card and set down another magic card and a Kuriboh in face up defense mode.  
  
"Ha!" Seto laughed. He drew a card, summoned the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon and ended his turn.  
  
Nodoka began laughing. She drew a card, played Swords of Revealing Light, then Block Defense, which switched his Rude Kaiser into attack mode. She attacked the Rude Kaiser with her Curse of Dragon. "Did I get the last laugh, Seto?" she asked.  
  
He growled, drew a card and played a magic card. "Go."  
  
Nodoka drew. She then played Ookazi, and then played another Ookazi, which each one did eight hundred direct damage to his life points. She smiled and said, "Go."  
  
He drew and played another magic card. "Go," he growled.  
  
She drew then played Fissure, which dismissed his Ultimate Dragon, she then turned her Kuriboh in to attack mode and finished the duel. Seto was shocked; he couldn't believe he had lost the game. Nodoka gathered her cards and put them away. They stepped out of the stations and walked towards eachother. Nodoka out reached her hand. "Good game," she said.  
  
Seto just continued walking. As he was about to step out the door he looked back at Nodoka. "Bitch," he said.  
  
"Mutt," she responded.  
(Acri: How are you enjoiing the story?  
  
Seto: Your spelling is horrible.  
  
Acri: Your dancing is horrible.  
  
Nodoka: I thought it was cute!  
  
Acri & Seto: *Look at Nodoka curiously * What was that?  
  
Nodoka: *Looks around nervously * Eh. hehe. I didn't say that! Bad Mokuba!  
  
Mokuba: Hey! Why do I always get blamed for everything I didn't do?  
  
Joey: Because you're the shortest!  
  
Mokuba: But Yugi's only taller than me because of his hair!  
  
Joey: Complain to Acri. Maybe she'll make you grow! Hahaha!  
  
Acri: *Closes curtain * I see fighting in the future. Good day! And don't forget to R+R!  
  
Seto: *Fighting is heard behind the curtain. Seto puts his hand in between the curtain. * You started this, you finish it! *Pulls Acri behind curtain. *  
  
Acri: AHHHH!) 


	11. P2: Disturbances in the Night

(A/N: I only own Arilana Nodoka and Mira! Enjoy! This is part two!!!)  
  
Chapter 4 Disturbances in the Night  
After the battle earlier that day, Nodoka went home and up to her room. She lie down in her bed and took a nap. She was sleeping peacefully, barely shifting.  
  
Lightning flashed through her window as she rose from her bed. It flashed again and she jumped backwards as she saw the word 'Moo' written all over the walls of her room. She slowly stood from her bed and out her door only to appear in some kind of mansion. "What is going on here?" she asked. She walked down the hall.  
  
"Seto! No! Get away from me!" That voice had sounded like Mokuba. Nodoka looked around.  
  
"Mokuba, come here!" That was Seto's voice.  
  
Nodoka frantically looked around. She burst through a door on her left. Seto stood there, naked as the day god made him, holding Mokuba infront of him. "Nodoka!" Mokuba called out.  
  
"Seto! Leave Mokuba alone!" Nodoka shouted.  
  
Seto smirked. "Come here Nodoka, and I'll let Mokuba go."  
  
Nodoka finally picked up on what was going on. "You incest bastard!" She yelled at Seto.  
  
"Oh Nodoka. Mokuba's fine with it," Seto said. Nodoka looked at Seto. The young Kaiba was looking at the ground. He wasn't comfortable at all.  
  
Nodoka took off her shoes and picked them up. "Fine Seto." Nodoka slowly walked over to the elder Kaiba. She kissed him on the lips. He released Mokuba and she whacked Seto in the head with her shoes. "Perverted bastard!" she growled. She took Mokuba's hand and they ran out of the room and down the hall. The little Kaiba's shirt was torn, and he was shaking violently. They went into another room and appeared in an odd house.  
  
"Joey! Where's my bathrobe?"  
  
"Was that Mira?" Nodoka looked around. Her eye's focused on Mokuba and he slowly disintegrated. "Kuba?"  
  
"Mira! Where is my underwear?"  
  
Nodoka's face went blank when she realized that that was Joey. "I think I'm going to be sick."  
  
"Never mind your underwear. where's mine?" Mira and Joey were running through the house in their bathrobes. "Um. Joey. Where's Salem?"  
  
"Salem?" Joey gave Mira a confused look.  
  
"Joey! Our son Salem!" Mira shouted at Joey.  
  
Joey stared blankly at Mira. "Oh, I dropped him off with my sister."  
  
"Don't scare me like that!" Mira shouted. She then hit Joey in the arm. "Ever since we got married, you've been doing that."  
  
Joey rubbed his arm. "Ever since Mai killed Nodoka, you've been angry and hitting me a lot."  
  
Mira glanced awkwardly at Joey. "I'm sorry," she said. She then hugged Joey and began sobbing.  
  
"Mira, don't cry. I didn't. I'm sorry." Joey patted Mira on the back.  
  
Nodoka lifted her hand near her face. She could see through her own body. "Oh my god." she whispered. "I'm dead."  
  
"I. I just wish I could have helped Mokuba!" Mira cried out.  
  
"Mokuba. What happened to Mokuba?" Nodoka yelled. Even though they couldn't hear her.  
  
"I just can't believe Seto would do such a thing. and both Mokuba and Nodoka loved that man." Mira cried. Her tears were making Joey's shirt damp.  
  
"Come on Mira. They're in a better place now. A place where no one can hurt them," Joey said. "Where Seto Kaiba doesn't exist."  
  
Mira looked Joey in the eyes. "I know. Kaiba shouldn't have hurt her that way. I would try and get back at him. but I have a family now. And I know Nodoka would want me to take care of my family first."  
  
Nodoka looked at Mira. "No I don't! Go kick his ass! Go! Kick his ass Mira!" she shouted. Nodoka wandered around and appeared in the Turtle Game Shop.  
  
Tristan walked up to Yugi. "Yugi."  
  
"Yes. I know Tristan. You loved Nodoka. So did Bakura. but we have to move on," Yugi said.  
  
"But Yugi." Tristan's gaze fell to the floor. "She was. I."  
  
"We know Tristan," Téa said. "I have to admit. in the beginning. I didn't trust Nodoka. But after she took that bullet for me." Téa sighed. "I miss her too, Tristan."  
  
"She's done so much for us." Bakura said. "She's taken a beating. and she came back. and then. she." Bakura sat down and put his head in his hands. "I can't believe she's gone!"  
  
"I WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO ME!" Nodoka shouted at the top of her lungs.  
  
"I can't believe Mai shot at you Téa," Tristan said.  
  
"I can't believe Nodoka intercepted the bullet." Yugi mumbled.  
  
"It was a freak cow stampede!" Bakura shouted.  
  
"Huh? Mai shot her." Yugi's grandpa said.  
  
"Like I said. a freak cow stampede." Bakura looked at them and smiled. They all laughed just a little.  
  
Nodoka opened her eyes. she was awake now. She was alone, in her bedroom, untouched, unmoved, and very much alive. "Wow. That seemed." she gulped loudly. "So real. I don't wanna dream like that again!" Nodoka thought for a second and then picked up the phone. She quickly dialed Mira's number.  
  
"Hello? It's one in the morning, who is it?" Mira asked.  
  
"Mira, it's me Nodoka. Do you have a kid?" Nodoka said abruptly.  
  
"A kid. no. not that I know of," Mira yawned.  
  
"What kid? Who is it Mira?"  
  
Nodoka's face went blank. "Is Joey over there?"  
  
"Yes," Mira plainly said.  
  
"My apologies! Sorry about my early intrusion!" Nodoka slammed the phone down on the hook. "Should have known that Mira had company. wait a minute!" Nodoka stood up. "Why is Joey over there at this time? .Oh. OH!" Nodoka sat down on the edge of her bed. "I'm so stupid," she laughed. She fell off the bed and the blanked landed on top of her. "This couldn't get any worse," she growled.  
  
"Nodoka!" came a call from downstairs.  
  
With the blankets still over her head she trudged out of her room and then topped down the stairs. When she landed at the bottom, Bakura walked over and pulled the blankets off. She was lying on her back and was all sprawled out. "Yes Bakura, dearest?" she laughed.  
  
"What did you call me?" Bakura gave her a questioning look.  
  
"Never mind. You called?"  
  
"Yeah, dinner's ready," said Bakura. "Mokuba's already eating."  
  
Nodoka tilted her head to the side and looked curiously at Bakura. "You cooked?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"This early?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"We were waiting for you to wake up, but Mokuba was really hungry. I hope you don't mind that I woke you from your sleep."  
  
"Oh, I don't mind. I'm really hungry!" Nodoka smiled. Now. If I can jus get to my feet, I'll be. leg cramp."  
  
Bakura laughed. "I'm surprised you didn't break anything falling down those stairs."  
  
"The floor broke my fall!" she laughed.  
  
"Come on," Bakura said. He helped Nodoka to her feet. They walked to the table. Mokuba smiled, he had a mess of spaghetti sauce all over his face.  
  
"Kuba. You're so messy," Nodoka laughed.  
  
"Don't ya know it!" said Mokuba as he shoveled more spaghetti into an already full mouth.  
  
"Mokuba. gross!" Nodoka said with a look of complete disgust on her face.  
  
"Hey, Nodoka," Mokuba said after he was done chewing.  
  
"Yeah 'Kuba?" Nodoka was now sitting down next to Mokuba and eating. Bakura was sitting across from her. All three of them ate in different ways. Mokuba ate very messily. Nodoka ate in a regular manner. And Bakura ate very carefully.  
  
"Nodoka, did you know you talk in your sleep?"  
  
Nodoka choked. Bakura ran over and helped her swallow her food. She breathed in deep. "I." she gasped. "I talk in my sleep?"  
  
Bakura laughed and went back to sit down. "Yes. you do," said Bakura.  
  
"Oh dear. what did I say?" Nodoka looked from one to the other.  
  
Mokuba smiled. "You said," he paused and then began to mock her. "Chicken pot, chicken pot, chicken pot pie!"  
  
Nodoka's face went blank. "Are you serious?"  
  
Bakura chuckled. "Mokuba. remember when she said," he slightly altered his voice and began to mock her. "Good kittay!" Nodoka growled at Bakura. Bakura gulped. "You know, I don't remember the last time I talked to my mother."  
  
Nodoka and Mokuba laughed. "You don't want her to worry, do you?" Nodoka said. "You can use the phone in my room." Bakura nodded and went upstairs into Nodoka's room.  
  
Nodoka was looking around, but when she turned her gaze back upon Mokuba, he put a hand full of spaghetti in her hair. "Mokuba." Nodoka looked at Mokuba. He glanced back in a very kiddy-ish manner.  
  
When Bakura came down the stairs Nodoka and Mokuba were each standing across from each other throwing spaghetti. "What are you two doing?" Bakura asked. The two stopped, turned to Bakura and threw food at him. He yelped and jumped to the floor.  
  
A knock came to the door and Nodoka ran over to answer it. She opened the door and Tristan was looking at her funny. "Come on!" she shouted. She pulled him in and shut the door. Nodoka hid behind Tristan and pushed him into the other room. Instantly, both Bakura and Mokuba pelted Tristan with spaghetti.  
  
"Nodoka!" Tristan asked turning around to meet her gaze. "Don't give me that look." He stuck out his tongue at her. Nodoka glanced past him and looked at Bakura and Mokuba. The two boys looked at eachother, then at Tristan. The two got handfuls of spaghetti and walked over to Tristan. Then they jumped on him, Nodoka moved out of the way, Tristan hit the ground as Mokuba and Bakura rubbed the food in his hair. "Steamroller!" Tristan shouted. He rolled over Bakura and Mokuba. Mokuba lie on his face and he twitched his leg. Bakura just laughed. Tristan stood up and Nodoka walked over. She sat down on the floor and Tristan sat next to her. She pushed him over and laughed. "Steamroller!" Tristan shouted again. This time he rolled over her. Tristan rolled onto his back and Nodoka jumped on him. Mokuba laughed and stood up. Nodoka go to her feet at the same time that Bakura got up.  
  
"What time is it?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"About two in the morning," Bakura said.  
  
Another knock came at the door. Nodoka walked over and opened it. Someone grabbed her face and kissed her passionately. When she was released from the kiss she opened her eyes, only to see the icy blue irises of Seto Kaiba.  
(Acri: Wanna know the sad thing you guys?  
  
Seto: No.  
  
Acri: I wasn't asking you, you're a girl.  
  
Nodoka: That's insulting.  
  
Acri: Fine, it's an it!  
  
Tristan: Saw that coming.  
  
Joey & Téa: We wanna know what was sad.  
  
Acri: I had that dream that you did, Nodoka.  
  
Seto: Wha!  
  
Nodoka: . That ain't right.  
  
Seto: *Looks to Nodoka * You know you liked the sight.  
  
Nodoka: Mokuba would probably be cuter.  
  
Mokuba: *Looks at Seto * Ha! .Wait. What?  
  
Acri: Haha! I'll check you guys later!) 


	12. P2: If You Build a Man a Fire

(A/N: I only own Arilana Nodoka and Mira! Enjoy! This is part two!!!)  
  
Chapter 5 If You Build a Man a Fire  
  
Nodoka smacked his hands away from her face and stepped back. "What the hell are you doing?" she shouted.  
  
"Nodoka! I love you!"  
  
Nodoka looked at the elder Kaiba shocked. Mokuba, Tristan, and Bakura walked over behind her. "What did you say?"  
  
"Nodoka, I love you," Seto said.  
  
"Leave," she said. "I don't want you here."  
  
"But Nodoka. I."  
  
Nodoka turned her head. When she turned back to face Seto she threw a punch and hit Seto in the face. He staggered back and rubbed his face. Nodoka frowned. Tristan then spoke. "What's Kaiba doing here?" he growled. He walked to Nodoka. Seto pulled out a gun and aimed it at Tristan's head. "Eh."  
  
"Take a step and say good bye," Seto said.  
  
Nodoka placed herself in between Tristan and Seto. "Don't!" she said.  
  
"Come with me Nodoka," Seto said.  
  
"Ah. but." She looked directly into Seto's eyes. "Let me get my jacket," she said. She walked in and Tristan followed, he closed the door behind him. Nodoka went upstairs and quickly took a shower. She came down in a black long sleeve shirt, that didn't cover the shoulders, and black jeans. She walked over to the closet. All Tristan saw her do was grab her black leather jacket and put it on.  
  
"Nodoka." Tristan said.  
  
"I'm being careful," she said. She pulled the side of her jacket back and opened the inside pocket of her jacket so he could see a pistol. "Extremely careful." This wasn't her normal trench coat; this was her favorite jacket that only went down to her waist. She zipped it up and looked into Tristan's eyes. "Will you be here. when I get back?" she asked.  
  
He pulled her close to him and kissed her tenderly on the lips. "I'll be here for you always," he whispered into her ear. The separated and Nodoka walked over to the door. She opened it and Seto was sitting on the front porch. She put her foot on his back and pushed him off. He landed on his back and he looked up at her.  
  
"Get up," she growled at him as she passed by. "Let's go."  
  
Seto smiled and got to his feet. "Follow me." He reached for her hand but she stepped away from him and put her hands in her jacket pockets. Nodoka kept her eyes on the ground. She followed him to the park. They stopped and Seto turned to her. He walked behind her and put a blindfold over her eyes. All of Nodoka's muscles tensed up. "Relax," Seto said softly into her ear. There was something in his voice that made her settle down. He put his hand into her left jacket pocket and pulled out her hand. Nodoka noticed that he was shaking. She didn't know whether he was beginning to break down, or whether he was scared, or just cold. She heard him shift to the other side of her. He then took her other hand in his and then released both of them. She sensed him walk infront of her. He turned around and took her hands in his once more. Slowly he guided her through the park and to a modern sized building. They came to a curb and Seto stepped up. "Step up," he said. She did so and they continued walking. They stopped once more and Nodoka heard something open. Again they walked. Seto stopped and turned to her. He slowly nudged her so that she took two steps to the right. He released her hands and walked behind her. She heard something slide on the floor and then touch the back of her legs. "Sit." Nodoka sat down and was about to take the blindfold off. "Don't!" She froze and nodded; her hands then went back down to rest on her lap. She felt something softly touch her lips. She moved her head back.  
  
"Hm, it is true, people who are blindfolded don't say anything," said a voice.  
  
Seto had been kneeling next to Nodoka. He stood up and turned towards the speaker. "Mai!" Nodoka couldn't tell where anything was. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Kaiba, you're being unfaithful to me," Mai said. Mai pulled out a gun and aimed it at Nodoka's head. Nodoka heard it. The young reporter threw off the blindfold, flipped back in her chair, did a somersault, and got back to her feet. She saw Mai standing with a gun. Seto was on his knees and sitting on his legs. Then she noticed the table she had been sitting at. It had two red candles in the center, plates and silverware on both sides, a red rose on her side, and rose petals covered the rest of the empty space. Nodoka was about to reach into her jacket but Mai stepped forward. "Give me Mokuba!" Mai shouted.  
  
"Give me death," Nodoka growled back. Seto looked at both of the women. One of them that hid her feelings very well and the other one he was about to marry.  
  
"Where is Mokuba?" Mai shouted. She stepped forward and held the gun at Nodoka's throat.  
  
"Fire away, bitch," Nodoka said. Seto ran up to Mai and put his hand on her shoulder. Mai turned and Seto kissed her. Nodoka turned, pulled out her gun and ran, she shot the glass door and jumped through it. She was so confused. Did Seto want her, or Mai? Which ever it was, he couldn't have both. Nodoka was running home when an old lady came out of nowhere and hit her with a stick. Nodoka stopped and turned around. "Hey! What's the matter with you?"  
  
"Ah, running from your problems again, Nodoka?"  
  
"Makira?" Nodoka looked curiously at the lady. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"  
  
"Are you going to keep me standing out here, or are you going to see me to your home?" said the lady.  
  
Nodoka smiled. "Follow me." She led the lady back to her home. Tristan opened the door and the two walked in.  
  
"Who's the old lady?" Tristan asked.  
  
The old woman known as Makira took the stick she had hit Nodoka with and she smacked Tristan on the head with it. "Insensitive!" she shouted.  
  
Nodoka laughed. Tristan growled. "Hey!" She smacked him in the head again.  
  
"Respect your elders, young man!" said Makira.  
  
Mokuba walked into the room. "What's going on?" he asked.  
  
Old Lady Makira looked at Mokuba, then to Tristan, and then to Nodoka. "Nodoka, you never told me you had a child," she said.  
  
Bakura then walked into the room. "Huh? Oh, hello," he said to the old lady.  
  
Makira gasped. "Oh dear. Nodoka. You have two men living with you?" she shouted.  
  
"What?" Nodoka looked at Makira.  
  
Makira looked at Nodoka. "You don't even have the fat from delivering a child," she said.  
  
Nodoka, Tristan, Mokuba, and Bakura glanced awkwardly. "Um, no," said Nodoka. "Tristan just stopped by, Bakura is taking care of me since I've been a little off lately. And I'm taking care of Mokuba."  
  
At this, Makira sighed heavily. "Oh thank god," she said.  
  
Tristan glanced at Nodoka. "I think I'm gonna go," Tristan said. "I don't want to get hit in the head again." Tristan walked over to kiss Nodoka but got an evil glare from Makira. He just smiled instead and walked out of the house.  
  
Bakura walked over to Nodoka. "I believe mother wanted me home today," he said. He walked over to Nodoka and whispered into her ear: "I just don't want her hitting me." He then backed up. "I guess I'll see you later." He smiled and left.  
  
"So, whose kid is he?" Makira asked.  
  
"He's Seto Kaiba's little brother." Nodoka walked into the living room. Makira followed. Mokuba walked into the room and sat down at the T.V.  
  
"The Seto Kaiba?" Makira asked.  
  
Nodoka crossed her arms. "Unfortunately," she said.  
  
"Well, if you build a man a fire you keep him warm for a day, if you set him on fire, you keep him warm for the rest of his life," Makira said. Nodoka looked at the old woman with a very confused look. Makira went to the table and sat down, Nodoka sat across from her. "Fire resembles love. You did not build him a fire, you set him on fire. He will love you for the rest of his life."  
  
"Bullshit!" Nodoka shouted. Makira smacked Nodoka on the head with the stick. Nodoka was then quiet. She sat there and rubbed her head.  
  
"You never do learn," Makira said.  
  
Later that night, old lady Makira slept in Nodoka's bed and Nodoka slept on the couch. Well, she didn't really sleep. Nodoka lie on her back thinking of what Makira said. 'He will love you for the rest of his life.' Those words kept flowing through out her mind. 'You never do learn.' Nodoka then realized that she never did learn things she should have. She shouldn't have trusted Seto to blindfold her. Nodoka stood up and, still dressed in her regular clothes, she put on her socks, shoes, and her black leather trench coat. She then grabbed Mokuba's key chain. On her way around the house, she grabbed her shades, even though it was in the middle of the night. She put her sunglasses on and walked over to the closet where she grabbed her gun and she tucked it into the back of her pants. From there she walked into the garage and turned on the light. In the rarely opened garage was a black, blue, and gray Yamaha FZ1 motorcycle. She opened the garage door and pushed it out. She grabbed the garage remote, hit the close button, and put it in the inside pocket of her coat. She started up the motor and jumped on. Flying from the driveway, she felt cold and confused. Nodoka drove to the Kaiba Mansion and stopped her bike. She turned of the motor and pulled Mokuba's key chain from her pocket. She opened the gates and walked up to the door. She slowly unlocked the door and walked in. As soon as she got in, she panicked. She had no idea of what she was doing. Her first thought was to find Seto. She tilted her head to the side and thought for a second. Nodoka then clapped her hands together and the lights came on all through the house. "Um. whoops." Nodoka said. "I only wanted this room." Seto came running into the room in his boxers. "My, my, my." Nodoka said raising her right eyebrow. "Puppies and kittens. who'd have thought?"  
  
"Eh? Ah. Nodoka? What are you doing here?" Seto asked.  
  
"Came to straighten something out," she said.  
  
Mai walked out of the hallway in a see through nightgown. "Seto, come back to bed." she mumbled groggily.  
  
"Baka!" Nodoka said taking a step backward. "Whoa!"  
  
"Aya! Nodoka! What are you doing here?" Mai shouted.  
  
Nodoka started laughing. "Holy shit! You've got to be god damn kidding me!"  
  
Seto and Mai glanced at each other and then to Nodoka. "What's so funny?" Mai growled.  
  
"You. and him. ha!" She laughed harder and then took off her shades. She stopped laughing and regained her composure. "You must be joking, Seto Kaiba."  
  
Mai walked over to Nodoka and backhanded her across the face. "Get out!" Mai said.  
  
Nodoka blinked. "Thank god I took off my shades, you probably would have bitchified them." Nodoka lightly pushed Mai out of her way and walked over to Seto. "An old friend of mine stopped by."  
  
"So what?" Seto said.  
  
"She gave me some good advice."  
  
"Like I care."  
  
Nodoka sighed. "Fine! You don't want to hear what I have to say? Then fine!" She turned around and was shoved into Seto. The elder Kaiba caught her and brought her back to her feet.  
  
"What are you doing?" Mai shouted at Seto.  
  
"I."  
  
"Shut up and go back to the room!"  
  
"Okay.. Wait!" Seto glared at Mai. "I'm my own man, you don't control me!"  
  
"Seto Kaiba! I have a way to control you!" Mai shoved Seto. He accidentally hit Nodoka, who in turn hit the wall, causing a picture to come off the wall and hit her. The glass shattered on impact with her body.  
(Nodoka: Acri, you're confusing me. Am I with Seto, Tristan, Joey, or my doctor! I'm almost always getting injured.  
  
Joey: I noticed that too.  
  
Mira: And where's more scenes from the life of Mira?  
  
Seto: Hey, you guys. she's fainted.  
  
Tristan: How can you tell?  
  
Mokuba: She's got those swirly lines where her eyes are supposed to be.  
  
Mai: Why am I the bad guy. I mean girl  
  
Téa: Do you guys think she's dying?  
  
Bakura: Her right leg sure is twitching a lot.  
  
Mai: Who says we dump her in the river?!  
  
Everyone: *Glances at Mai. * That's why.  
  
Acri: Oro.?) 


	13. P2: Here to There and Back Again

Chapter 6  
Here to There and Back Again  
  
Nodoka woke up in the hospital. "Ah, good morning, do you have your card with you today?"  
  
Her eyes adjusted to the light and she looked around. Mokuba was asleep on the left side of her bed; he was gently holding her hand in his. "Where am I?" she asked.  
  
"In the hospital, where else did you think you would be?" said the doctor. He had spiky platinum gray hair, and he wasn't much older than Nodoka.  
  
"I thought I might be. How did I get here?"  
  
"Ask him," said the doctor. "I'll be back in a minute, Miss Nodoka. If you need me, just buzz, my name is Doctor Ariours Keshi." He walked out of the room and Nodoka nudged Mokuba awake.  
  
"Hey, 'Kuba," she said quietly.  
  
"Nodoka. You're awake?" Mokuba said raising his head. "Doctor Keshi said you probably wouldn't wake up for another few days."  
  
"I'm a quick healer," she said. "So, what'd I hit?"  
  
Mokuba smiled. "A large picture frame landed on you."  
  
Nodoka sighed. "That's funny, I don't remember what happened last night. All I remember is getting on my motorcycle."  
  
"You remember nothing else from last night?"  
  
"No. just wearing my shades and speeding past cars. I don't know what I was doing. Or where I was going for that matter." Nodoka rubbed her head. "Hey, hand me my pants, would you?" Mokuba handed her blue jeans to her. Nodoka went through the pockets until she found her wallet. It was a small black velvet wallet. She opened it and took out her F.D. Card. The doctor walked back in.  
  
She handed him the card. "Ah, frequent diers miles. A thing of the future," Dr. Keshi said.  
  
"The only good thing about those cards is that I don't have to pay for it," Nodoka sighed.  
  
"Ain't that the truth," said Dr. Keshi. "I'll get this back to you as soon as possible." Ariours walked away once more.  
  
"So, Nodoka!" Mokuba said sitting on the side of the bed.  
  
Nodoka cringed. "Don't shout 'Kuba, please."  
  
"Sorry," Mokuba said. He smiled. "So, can you move at all?"  
  
"I can probably knock you off the bed with my head, but I think that's all I can move." They laughed, but it came to an abrupt stop when Mai came through the door.  
  
Mokuba turned his head and looked at Mai. "What do you want?" he said harshly.  
  
"I've come to pay Miss Nodoka a visit," Mai said over sweetly. "Now move along you little runt."  
  
Mokuba growled. "He stays," Nodoka said. Téa walked into the room. Mai turned to Téa and pulled out a gun. At that instant Nodoka received a flashback from her dream. Before the young reporter knew what she was doing, she jumped out of her bed and took a bullet for her friend Téa. Mai ran out of the room. Nodoka stood from the floor and quickly put her clothes on. The shot wound in her chest bled heavily. She ran out of her room and followed Mai. Mokuba and Téa frantically ran after them. As Arilana Nodoka ran down the sidewalk she put her hand on her chest. A few seconds later she incoherently wiped sweat from her face. But all that really did was smear blood on the right side of her face. She followed Mai past the Kaiba Mansion.  
  
Seto stepped out of the gates only to be spun around when Mokuba and Téa ran past him. Seto ran after them. When he got next to his little brother he said, "What's going on?"  
  
"Nodoka's after Mai!" Mokuba said.  
  
"What happened?" Seto asked.  
  
"Mai tried to shoot Téa, Nodoka. I'll tell you later!" Mokuba was breathing heavily.  
  
Seto sped away from the two followers and ran up next to Nodoka. Still looking forward he asked, "What's going on?" Nodoka just ignored him. It seemed to him that she was barely breathing. He glanced at her and finally noticed the blood soaked shirt that she wore. He tripped, yelped weakly, and fell to the ground.  
  
A few feet away, Nodoka stopped, she glanced from Mai, to the face-planted Seto Kaiba. She sighed and walked over to Seto. "Hey," she whispered to him. "You okay?"  
  
He looked up. " What are you doing out here?" he said.  
  
"I'm anything but helpless, Seto Kaiba." She smiled. "Hapless, but not helpless."  
  
Seto moved to where he sat on his legs. "Are you sure you're okay? I mean for heaven's sake, you have a bullet in you."  
  
"You'll never learn." At that Mokuba and Téa ran up to them. Nodoka smiled and fainted. She slowly leaned to the left until she lie on the ground.  
  
"Nodoka!"  
  
Once again Arilana Nodoka woke up in the hospital. Dr. Keshi was standing at her side. "Good . um. non-being-dead," Dr. Keshi said.  
  
"Damn." Nodoka said.  
  
"Hm? What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
She sighed and then dully said, "You just stuck me with a needle, what do you think I'm." Her speech began to slur. "Soo damen maid aboot?"  
  
Mokuba laughed. "Morphine! Nodoka's best friend!"  
  
"I thought I was Nodoka's best friend!" Mira was standing in the doorway. "How is she?"  
  
"Shot thorough the left ventricle. She already went through surgery. That was yesterday." Mokuba frowned. "Where were you?"  
  
"Joey and I. Um. You don't need to know." Mira glanced at Nodoka. "She's been through a lot, hasn't she?"  
  
"You can just leave, ya know?" said Mokuba. "She doesn't have to know that you stopped by. She's out cold."  
  
Dr. Keshi looked at them. "If you're going to fight, take it outside."  
  
"Huh?" Mira turned around and began talking with some one unseen by Mokuba. "Alright. I'm sorry to hear that. She'll be told," Mira said.  
  
When she turned back around, Mokuba asked, "Who was that?"  
  
"Tristan, apparently, he's in love with Serenity. He wanted Nodoka to know that him and her are. no longer together." Mira looked down.  
  
Téa walked out of the restroom. "That's horrible! How dare he!" Téa walked past Mira and down the hall, she was going to give Tristan a piece of her mind.  
  
A few hours later, when only Mokuba remained in the room, Nodoka awoke again. "God. I feel like some one hit me in the head with a hammer."  
  
"Nodoka," Mokuba said. She looked at him. "Bad news, Tristan kinda . well. he broke up with you while you were under the influence of morphine."  
  
"I figured as much," Nodoka said.  
  
"How so?" Mokuba was curious.  
  
"We grew distant, and he was spending more time with Serenity." She sighed. "I hope he still knows that I care for him, no matter what. He's a good friend."  
  
"Nodoka."  
  
"Yeah 'Kuba?"  
  
"You were still going to help me with Mai and Seto. right?" She glanced at Mokuba. A sad expression covered his face.  
  
"Mokuba. it's dangerous." Mokuba looked at the floor. "But I promise, before I die, I'll get you back in touch with your brother Seto, and Mai will be gone." Mokuba smiled.  
  
Dr. Keshi walked in. "Oh, I see you're awake. Well, even though it's twelve in the morning, I guess I could see how you're doing," he said. "And your card is in your wallet."  
  
Nodoka nodded. He checked the equipment and then put a slip of paper on the table so that they could contact him if anything were wrong. He said bye and left. "I think he likes you," Mokuba said.  
  
"Yeah right!" Nodoka laughed.  
  
"Good night Nodoka," Mokuba said. He curled up on the small couch in the room and fell asleep.  
  
"Night . 'Kuba."  
  
Nodoka was lying asleep in her bed. Seto walked in. He pulled the cover over Mokuba. This day he was wearing his dark blue trench coat. He sat next to Nodoka. He leaned over and kissed her tenderly on the lips. Nodoka woke and once again stared straight into his eyes. She quickly scrambled back and upward. "What are you doing here?" she said loudly.  
  
Seto put his hand over her mouth and then pointed to Mokuba. "Shhh," he said. With his hand, he slowly caressed her face. Nodoka shivered. He leaned forward and kissed her once again.  
  
Nodoka pushed him back. "You have a fiancé! More or less a wife!" She whispered harshly.  
  
Seto just smiled. "I'm sorry I ever did such a thing. It isn't my intention to hurt you anymore." He grinned.  
  
Nodoka woke up with a slight yelp. "You alright, Miss Nodoka?" Dr. Keshi asked.  
  
Nodoka breathed heavily. "My heart hurts," she said clutching her chest.  
  
Ariours checked her monitors. "Everything is fine. Something else must be wrong. Maybe something subconsciously?" he suggested. 


	14. P2: Silent Destinies Intertwine

Chapter 7  
Silent Destines Intertwine  
  
After months of recovery, Nodoka went back home. Mokuba watched her closely and every other Friday, Dr. Keshi would stop by and visit. One dark night, Nodoka was watching TV when Mokuba jumped over the back of the couch and landed on the floor with a thud. "Someone's at the door," Mokuba said.  
  
Nodoka blinked awkwardly and got to her feet. She walked over to the door grabbed her sword which she had set on a corner table on the right side of the door. She opened the door and Seto stood there. Nodoka was scared to see him. She took a step back, tripped over the rug and land on her butt. She yelped and scooted back. He stepped backwards down the front steps. Mokuba crawled out from behind the couch and then sat on his legs. They all silently looked at each other. Mokuba jumped to his feet and ran infront of Nodoka. He said no words, just stared at his elder brother. Seto lowered his gaze and stepped into the house. The young Mokuba became tense, his muscles twitched. Seto approached his brother. Mokuba, now grown to a few inches shorter that Seto's shoulder, looked his brother in the eye and forced him to step back. Seto slowly lowered himself to sit on the floor. Nodoka slowly got to her feet, feeling weak; she used the banister of the stairway to support herself.  
  
Mokuba growled. "You aren't supposed to be here!" he shouted. "I had a restraining order put on you and Mai two months ago!"  
  
"I know," said Seto. "I wish for you to have it removed."  
  
"No!" said Mokuba. Seto got to his feet and took a step towards Mokuba. "Get back now, you hear? Stay away!"  
  
Seto knelt infront of his younger brother. "Mokuba, please, I beg you, let me at least talk to Nodoka!" he pleaded.  
  
Mokuba looked at Nodoka. "You can't. No one can," he said calmly.  
  
"What? Why not?"  
  
"She hasn't spoken since four months ago in the hospital. She woke up from her sleep suddenly. She was clutching her chest, she said her heart hurt."  
  
Seto got to his feet. "Her. heart?" Mokuba nodded in response.  
  
Nodoka whimpered. Mokuba turned his head to look at her. "I'm going to take her up to bed. I'll be back in a moment." Mokuba helped Nodoka walk up the stairs and into her room. He tucked her in and walked back down the stairs.  
  
"So, she hasn't spoken at all?" Seto asked.  
  
"Not once." Mokuba walked into the living room and sat on the couch.  
  
"You've grown a lot since the last time I saw you," Seto said.  
  
"Sheesh, how long ago was that?" They laughed. "So how have you been?"  
  
Seto sat down heavily on the couch. "It's been troublesome. I don't know what I'm doing anymore."  
  
"It's Mai, she's been messing with you. Get over it, or go home," Mokuba snickered.  
  
"Hey, 'Kuba. I'm fine. I'll stay for a little." Mokuba nodded. Seto looked around the house. "It's been a while since I've been in here. It's quite peaceful when I'm not getting yelled at by someone." Mokuba smiled. Seto jumped to his feet and turned to face Mokuba. "I'm sorry!" he shouted.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I called you 'Kuba. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."  
  
"Hey, it's alright Seto." Mokuba stood and walked over to the kitchen. "Big brother. you want something to eat?"  
  
Something was heard rolling down the stairs. Seto ran into the other room. "Nodoka!" He knelt down at her side and held her close to him. She was shaking. She clutched onto his jacket.  
  
Mokuba ran into the room, he held a damp rag in his hand. Nodoka moved her arms to Seto's back and held on tightly. Seto's back twitched. "What's wrong Seto?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"She's clawing me."  
  
"But she's asleep now." It was true. Nodoka had fallen asleep in Seto Kaiba's arms. Seto lifted the sleeping girl and walked up the stairs. "Seto. don't try anything funny. alright."  
  
"No worries." He took her up to her room and set her in the bed. He knelt at her side and held her hand. "Nodoka, I'm sorry I ever did such a thing. It isn't my intention to hurt you anymore. I hope you understand that I would do anything for you. anything."  
  
Nodoka's eyes flew open. She had heard two of those sentences before, in her dream at the hospital. "Seto," she whispered weakly. Startled by her voice, Seto looked up at her. "I. I cannot love a man with such a cold heart as yours. Such a man that would turn against his own flesh and blood. It does not matter that Mai is in your life." She paused for a minute. "Blood is thicker than water." Tears trickled down her face. "And for the choices you have made, I can't love you."  
  
Broken, Seto stood. "I understand," he said. "Good bye." Seto Kaiba turned and left the tearful Nodoka in her bed. Seto walked down the stairs. Mokuba leaned against the rail. Gaze on the floor, the elder Kaiba said, "Go comfort her. She needs it." With those remaining words, Seto disappeared. Confused, Mokuba ran upstairs. He spoke with Nodoka and they agreed she should go out and get some fresh air tomorrow.  
  
The next day, Nodoka went to get groceries. Her temperament had improved and she was feeling better. But as she was on her way to the store she noticed two men following her. Only until they disappeared around a corner did she feel a little better. But when she walked past an alley they jumped out and grabbed her. They flung her into the alley. It was a dead end. "Rapists during the day? That's rare." Nodoka prepared herself to fight. They approached and grabbed her. She struggled violently. One of them ripped open her shirt. Nodoka bit down on one of their shoulders. He slammed her to the ground. Something came from above. The dark figure attacked the two men and trapped them in a nearby dumpster. "Who are you?" Nodoka asked as she held her shirt together.  
  
"My name, is Terran Mason," he said turning. He wore a black jacket, blue jeans and a dark green shirt; on his forehead was a tenugui with the print of the American flag on it. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Nodoka."  
  
"I thank you. for helping me, that is," she said  
  
Terran removed his leather jacket and handed it to her. "Here, I'll walk you home." Nodoka took the jacket and zipped it up. "Let's go."  
  
Nodoka and the mysterious Terran walked through the streets. When they arrived at the house, Mokuba opened the door and looked at them confused. "Right, so you walk out on the street and find a boyfriend, is that it?" Mokuba laughed.  
  
"I don't think so 'Kuba. He just helped me," Nodoka laughed. She walked upstairs, and changed her shirt. She walked down in her black long-sleeve shirt and tossed Terran his jacket.  
  
"I had no idea you guys knew Seto Kaiba. Shit. his brother and the girl he likes in the same home. Sheesh. that's insane," Terran said sitting on the couch.  
  
"Shoes off the couch," Mokuba said.  
  
"Oh, sorry." Terran looked at Mokuba, then to Nodoka. "So, are you two like, going out or something?" Nodoka and Mokuba looked blankly at each other and then threw a pillow at Terran, who fell off the couch trying to dodge them. He then started laughing.  
  
"Don't make us hit you again!" Nodoka growled.  
  
"Next time it will be harder, do you understand?" Mokuba said.  
  
Terran spent the night on the couch. In the middle of the night, Mokuba walked downstairs from his room and into the kitchen. "Hey," said Terran.  
  
"What?" Mokuba looked at him with an annoyed expression.  
  
"What have you got against me, kid?" Terran sat up on the couch and looked over the back at Mokuba.  
  
Mokuba sighed. "Nothing. I guess I'm just too worked up about some things. I wanted Nodoka to be with Seto. But they aren't getting along. So I've given up on that decision. Then there was Tristan. They were great together. But he let her go so that he could be with Joey's sister, Serenity." Mokuba sat down at the table. "I think Bakura would rather run away scared."  
  
"Kid, what you gotta do is let things take their course," Terran said. "Ya know?"  
  
"Yeah," said Mokuba. "But, it's really hard to do that when someone takes care of you and you can't do anything back for them." Mokuba sighed. "It just eats at me when I hear her crying at night."  
  
"Ms. Nodoka cries?" Terran asked.  
  
"Yeah," Mokuba set his head on the table. "I'm just so tired of their arguing."  
  
"Think of it this way," Terran said. "If it's meant to be, then it will happen."  
  
Mokuba stood up. "Good night Terran."  
  
"Later Mokuba."  
  
The next day, Mokuba and Terran were watching TV. The doorbell rang and Mokuba stood up with a soda in his left hand. He walked over to the door and opened it. "Hello?"  
  
"Mokuba." Seto stood in the doorway. He was wearing something that made his little brother choke. Seto wore a yellow t-shirt and a blue Hawaiian shirt over it with blue jean shorts and brown sandals.  
  
"S. S. Seto!" Mokuba shouted. "What the hell are you wearing?"  
  
"I was wondering if you and Nodoka wanted to go to the beach," he said.  
  
"Um. why don't you ask her, she's upstairs," Mokuba said as he snickered and went back to the couch.  
  
Seto walked up the stairs and went to the room on the right. He knocked on the door. "Nodoka?"  
  
"Come in." Seto walked in and his jaw dropped. "Shut the door you moron," Nodoka said. She had just gotten out of the shower and had her hair wrapped up in a towel and hand a towel wrapped around her. "What was it you wanted?" she asked, with her back to him.  
  
"I was. I was. um. wondering if. you and Mokuba wanted to go to the beach," Seto said.  
  
Nodoka slowly turned around and looked down at Seto's crotch. "Is that a banana in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" she said.  
  
Seto looked at her puzzled and looked down. "Whoa!" He turned around, opened the door and ran out.  
  
Nodoka ran to her bedroom door. "Don't fall down the."  
  
Too late, Seto tripped rolled down the stairs and landed with at thud on the floor. Mokuba stood and walked until he was five feet from his brother. "You got excited again, didn't you Seto?" he said.  
  
"Yes." Seto mumbled.  
  
Mokuba turned and took a sip of his drink. "Baka," he said. He walked back over to the couch and sat down.  
  
Terran looked to Mokuba. "What happened," he asked.  
  
"Seto saw Nodoka in her bath towel. you know what happened," Mokuba said. He sat back and Terran began laughing.  
  
Seto stood up. Mokuba tossed his older brother a couch pillow. Seto caught it and put it infront of his 'standing ovation'. Seto then walked over to Terran. "Who the hell are you anyway?"  
  
Terran stopped laughing and looked awkwardly at Seto. "I'm Terran Mason, Ms. Nodoka's bodyguard."  
  
"Hm? Bodyguard? What does she need a bodyguard for?" Seto growled.  
  
"I'm not official, I just hired myself as such," Terran yawned.  
  
"So what happened?" Seto growled.  
  
"Don't get mad Seto," Mokuba said. "You weren't there, and Terran saved her. You don't know the story."  
  
"Well I would if someone would tell me!" Seto shouted at them.  
  
Terran stood up, this forced Seto to take a step back. "Mr. Kaiba, I request that you do not yell in the house of a lady."  
  
"Huh?" A puzzled look came over Seto's face.  
  
"Sir," Terran said, turning his right side to Seto. "You have no right asking Ms. Nodoka and Mokuba to go with you when you have a fiancé, or wife, which ever. So sir. it is with my deepest respect that I ask you to leave."  
  
"What the hell?"  
  
"Sir, I am hell," Terran looked to Seto, his blue eyes shone red. "And like I said before. I ask you to leave."  
  
Seto growled and threw a punch at Terran, hitting the red-eyed boy in the face and sending him over the couch. Mokuba stood up and dropped his soda on the floor. "Ah! Seto! What'd you do that for?"  
  
Seto looked at his hands. "What am I doing?" He began to tremble.  
  
Nodoka came down the stairs drying her hair with her towel and wearing black jeans and a white v-neck blouse. "What's going on?" she asked, extremely clueless. Terran slowly got to his feet. Blood streaked from the right corner of his mouth. "Terran? You alright?" Terran nodded, but kept his eyes on the trembling Seto. "Seto?" Nodoka dropped the towel.  
  
Seto looked to Nodoka. "I'm sorry," he said.  
  
Nodoka froze. "What did you say?"  
  
"I. I gotta go!" Seto walked past Mokuba and was about to walk past Nodoka when she stopped him by putting her left hand out and on his chest.  
  
"Seto," she said, staring at the wall, and not at him. Both of their gazes fell to the floor. "I don't know what's going on. with you and Mai that is. But. even though things can't work between us, I'd be glad to talk to you about it," she said softly. "So if you're leaving, go ahead." She paused, lowered her arm and looked him in the eyes. "Make the right choices Seto. Don't do anything that's going to make you unhappy!" Seto said nothing; he just walked to the door, opened it, and left. Nodoka walked to the door and watched him leave. When he was out of sight, she closed the door.  
  
Nodoka walked into the living room. Terran was sitting on the couch, his mouth still bleeding. "You can't trust him, Ms. Nodoka," he said.  
  
She looked at Terran. "You better not be bleeding on my couch, damn it!" she shouted at him.  
  
Terran jumped to his feet and looked at her with a startled expression. "Blood? Oh I forgot!"  
  
"Get in the kitchen. baka." Nodoka and Terran walked into the kitchen "Over the sink." Terran leaned over the sink and Nodoka handed him a towel. "Wipe your mouth and then dampen the cloth and get the inside of your mouth. Trust me.the taste of blood really sucks."  
  
Nodoka left the kitchen and jumped over the back of the couch, landing next to Mokuba. "Mokuba," she said. "Have you been going to school?"  
  
"Nodoka," Mokuba said. "It's Sunday, you're losing it."  
  
"Damn. it's Sunday?"  
  
"Yeah," Terran said, walking from the kitchen with an ice pack on his cheek.  
  
Nodoka sighed. "That proves it. I have no life. nor a brain." She then laughed. Mokuba looked at her with a questioning look. "Who's up for laser tag?"  
  
Terran and Mokuba jumped up from the couch. "I AM!" They both shouted. 


	15. Part Three: Fun, Fun, and Chaos

(A/N - Hey hey! Part 3. . . same thing, I only own Nodoka, Mira, and Terran! So, read, review, review, hope you like it!)  
  
Chapter 1  
Fun, Fun, and Chaos  
  
Nodoka sat in a dark room with her back in the corner. She was breathing hard. She was wearing a long-sleeve green shirt; with camouflage pants and black combat boots. In her hands she held a large rifle. Slowly, Nodoka edged over to the corner, still keeping an eye out for any movement behind her. She looked around the corner and then crept up the stairs in front of her. Another person was on the platform at the top, Nodoka tapped him on the shoulder and then shot him when he turned around, sending the guy out of the rest of the round.  
  
She walked to the ledge and set her rifle against the side. She crouched down and looked around. She spotted Mokuba. She set her finger on the trigger and quickly spun, both herself and the gun, around to shoot the person that was walking up behind her. Nodoka set her gun back up, and once again spotted Mokuba. "See ya later," she whispered.  
  
"No, see you later."  
  
Nodoka turned around and was shot by Terran. "Hey! You're supposed to be my body guard!" Terran snickered.  
  
That was it, the last game; they were all out of money. Nodoka, Mokuba, and Terran left the arcade and walked down the street. "Man, Terran! You kept shooting me!" Nodoka laughed, walking backwards in front of her two friends.  
  
"At least I didn't shoot you in the back like you did to me in the first game!" Terran shouted.  
  
Nodoka growled. "Are you saying I have no honor?"  
  
All three stopped walking and Mokuba smiled. Terran took a step back. "No, I never said that Miss Nodoka!"  
  
Nodoka shrugged. "Well. . . I don't anyway," she said smiling.  
  
Nodoka turned around and Mokuba ran up to her right side. "Nodoka, can we get something to eat?"  
  
"Of course!" Nodoka said as her stomach growled loudly.  
  
Terran walked to Nodoka's left side. "Where are we going?"  
  
"To a little restaurant own by a. . ." Nodoka stopped walking and looked straight ahead. There she was. . . There was Mira. . . So long had it been since they had talked. "On second thought," Nodoka said, looking to Mokuba. "Let's go home and I'll make something."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Don't ask questions. I have my reasons."  
  
"Right," Mokuba said and Nodoka changed her direction, running across the street and Mokuba and Terran followed quickly.  
  
When she turned the corner, Joey walked out in front of her. "Hey! Nodoka," he said. "It's been a while, how're you doing?"  
  
Nodoka smiled. "I'm fine Joey, how are you?"  
  
"Pretty good."  
  
"And Mira. . ." Nodoka's smile faded.  
  
"She's. . . um. . . pregnant. . ."  
  
Nodoka's eyes widened and she fainted. As she fell backward, Mokuba and Terran caught her. Mokuba looked to Joey. "Are you serious?"  
  
"Yeah, the kids mine. . . We just found out last night, did like, seven tests. We're going to the doctor today," Joey said.  
  
Mokuba smirked. "So, how are you going to raise this kid, you're still going to school!"  
  
"I know, I know," sighed Joey. "I needed to ask Nodoka something, but she fainted."  
  
Shifting his weight to his other side so that he could lean Nodoka on him, Terran said, "You were going to ask Nodoka to take care of the kid, weren't you?"  
  
"Yeah, so both Mira and I could go to school," he replied, shuffling his feet.  
  
Mokuba growled. "She has a life too you moron!"  
  
Mira walked over. "Joey, can we go now, we'll be l. . . Nodoka?"  
  
Terran looked to Mokuba. "Come on," he said. "I'll get us something to eat." He put Nodoka on his shoulder and walked to the house.  
  
When the two were nearly home, Nodoka's eyes fluttered open. "Huh?"  
  
Setting her down, Terran said, "Are you okay?"  
  
She nodded and looked to Mokuba. "You alright 'Kuba?"  
  
Mokuba looked up at his caretaker. "Yeah." He heard footsteps and turned around, Mai was there. "What is it now?"  
  
"Mokuba, I wanted to apologize. I was being stupid. Can you forgive me?" she asked.  
  
"Uh," Mokuba turned to Nodoka, who smiled and patted him on the head. "Just don't try anything like that again," he said.  
  
"I promise, you can shoot me if I do." Mai said. "Plus, you're brother misses you a lot."  
  
"I know," Mokuba said. It's been years since I've gone home, he thought to himself.  
  
"Are you. . . ready to go?" the blonde asked.  
  
Mokuba, glanced back at Nodoka, she still smiled, but said nothing. "I suppose so," he said.  
  
They walked into the house, Terran helped Mokuba pack up. Nodoka was downstairs, getting Mai a soda. "Here," she said, handing the can to Mai. The two of them sat down.  
  
"Nodoka," said Mai. Nodoka looked up. "I'm really sorry. I had no idea Seto was taken when we started going out."  
  
Smiling, Nodoka said, "He wasn't taken, I was just being a bitch!" She took a sip of her soda and the two laughed.  
  
"So have I," said Mai. "Can we call a truce?"  
  
"I don't see why not," Nodoka said and the two shook hands. "To no more quarrels between us," she said, lifting her soda to Mai.  
  
Mai lifted hers and said, "To no more quarrels."  
  
At the same time, they clanged the cans together. "Cheers," the two women said.  
  
The two drank and set down the sodas. Sighing, Nodoka said, "Don't hurt Mokuba, please, he's been through enough."  
  
"I promise," said Mai. When Mokuba came down with his bags, Mai stood up. "Ready?"  
  
Silently, Mokuba nodded. He looked to Nodoka who stood and walked over to him. "I'll miss you Nodoka," he said.  
  
Nodoka hugged Mokuba. "Love ya, 'Kuba. I'll miss you a lot." She then patted him on the back and stepped back. "He's all yours Mai."  
  
Mai smiled and she and Mokuba left. Nodoka sighed and sat on the couch. Terran sat in the recliner. "Tired?" Nodoka asked.  
  
"Not really."  
  
Nodoka stood up and picked up the phone, from there, she proceeded to call for a pizza. That night, the remaining two ate pizza and watched the midnight episode of Jerry Springer.  
  
At one o'clock in the morning, Nodoka got a phone call. "Hello? Really? Um, okay. . . in three days? Alright. . ." Nodoka sighed and hung up. Terran was asleep on the couch. She placed a blanket over the guy and went to her room.  
  
Two hours later, the phone rang again. Nodoka picked it up. "Hello?"  
  
"Hello, is Terran Mason there?"  
  
"Um yeah, hold on. . ." Nodoka said sleepily. She stepped out of her bed and walked to the stairs. "Terran! Pick up the phone! It's for you!"  
  
Terran, falling off the couch then stumbling around picked up the phone. "Hello?"  
  
(A/N - Well, isn't that a little scary.  
  
Mira: Acri! You suck! You made me pregnant!  
  
Acri: Actually, Joey did. . . Hey, Nodoka!  
  
Nodoka: Yeah?  
  
Acri: What's the difference between a light bulb and a pregnant lady?  
  
Nodoka: I don't know, what?  
  
Acri: * smirk* You can unscrew a light bulb.  
  
Mira: Nodoka! How can you laugh at that? It's so crude!  
  
Nodoka: It's true! *laughing *  
  
Acri: Well, anyway, I'm starting to draw this fic to a close, yeah I know, boo hoo. . . But there will be some comedy down to the very last bit! I promise!  
  
Nodoka: LIAR!  
  
Acri: Shaddap! Well, that's all for now! See ya on the flip side!) 


	16. P3: Jerry! Jerry!

(A/N: Well I only own Nodoka, Mira, and the little baby! The rest of them, it would be fun to own, but it would get a little hectic. So here's another  
chapter of ASoI.)  
  
Chapter 2  
Jerry! Jerry!  
  
The phone call that Nodoka had received was from the Jerry Springer Show. She and Terran had talked about it, they were both invited, and yet, they were both completely oblivious to why they were there. The hopped on a plane and when they got to the stage, they talked it out with the host and found out why they were there. Someone had mysteriously called in and said what was all going on there.  
  
As Nodoka and Terran were relaxing in the green room, Seto, Mai, and Mokuba walked in. The two that were there jumped to their feet. "What are you guys doing here?" shouted Nodoka.  
  
"Got a call last night for all of us," said Seto.  
  
"Creepy," said Mai. They all sat down.  
  
A little while after that, Yugi, Téa, Bakura, Serenity, and Tristan walked in. The five that were already in there waved. The newcomers waved back. They waited a little longer and Joey and Mira showed up.  
  
"I suppose we're all here," said Yugi.  
  
Nodoka crossed her arms. "So Mira," she said. "Congratulations."  
  
Mira halfway bowed. "Thank you Nodoka."  
  
"When are you due?" asked Nodoka. Everyone looked to Mira. "Yes! She's pregnant you numbskulls!" Nodoka sighed, then looked to her friend and smiled.  
  
"Next year, in April, I'm only on my first month," Mira said.  
  
Smiling, Nodoka stood up. She walked over to Mira and hugged her. "It's great to hear that." Nodoka then looked to Joey. "You better not desert her, I'll find you and beat you!" Nodoka then smiled.  
  
"Ain't no way!" Joey said.  
  
A few hours later, Jerry walked to the group. "Try and make it good, okay?" he said.  
  
Everyone looked to each other. "No problem," they all said, then laughed.  
  
When the show started, Nodoka was the first to be called out. She walked out onto stage and sat down. "Hiya Jerry," she said. She crossed her legs and sat up straight.  
  
"Ms. Nodoka," said Jerry. "Welcome to the show. Can you tell us anything about your relationship with Mr. Kaiba?"  
  
Nodoka laughed. "What relationship? I hate the bastard."  
  
"Can you explain to us why that is?" asked the host.  
  
Nodoka nodded and leaned forward. "Well, it started a few years ago. I just moved to Domino and I was a reporter. . . Blah blah blah. . . anyway, just about anytime I was around him, I got shot! I could have sworn I almost got shot in the ass!"  
  
"Was it that dangerous around him?"  
  
"Not really. . . anyway, so I went for a job back here in the States. And when I went back home, I thought there might have been an availability of a relationship between Kaiba and I, then I noticed he was with Mai." Nodoka sighed. "Cheese and rice. . . I swear. . . Then there was some other crap that happened, I ended up taking care of his little brother Mokuba for a while. And then, Mai shot me! Can you believe it?!" Nodoka ran her fingers through her hair.  
  
"Well, we have a surprise, Mr. Kaiba is here today," Jerry said. "Come on out Mr. Kaiba!"  
  
Seto walked out in his dark blue trench coat. He quietly walked over and sat down. Without looking at Nodoka, he said, "Bitch."  
  
Without looking at Seto, she said, "Bastard."  
  
"Mr. Kaiba, can you put some perspective on this?" Jerry asked.  
  
Seto shrugged. "I loved her once, then she left, and I got together with Mai. End of story!" he growled.  
  
Nodoka turned to him. "Yeah, you're engaged to her, yet you're still coming on to me!"  
  
Seto turned away. "Yeah, whatever," he said.  
  
Jerry turned to the crowd. "Well, let's say we bring out Mai Valentine?" The crowd cheered and Mai walked out. She waved slightly and walked over to Seto. Seto stood up and they kissed.  
  
Nodoka sighed and looked away. "Sheesh, get a room!"  
  
When the two sat down, Nodoka moved her chair away from the two. "Ms. Valentine," said Jerry. "How did you and Mr. Kaiba get together?"  
  
"Well," said Mai, crossing her legs. "I was looking for some new Duel Monsters cards that could boost up my Harpie Ladies, and we kind of ran into each other." She leaned towards Seto and kissed him on the cheek. "And I do admit he was cold in the beginning, but he really opened up to me." She then leaned forward and looked to Nodoka and glared.  
  
Nodoka saw Mai; she turned her body the other way and stuck up her middle finger on her right hand.  
  
"No thank you," said Mai.  
  
"It wasn't an offer," said Nodoka.  
  
"Well with you it's hard to tell," Mai sighed.  
  
Nodoka got to her feet. "You wanna make something of it? I swear I'll stick my foot so far up your ass, I'll make your hair turn to its real color!" She clenched her fists.  
  
Mai stood up and faced Nodoka. "Bring it," she growled.  
  
The two went at each other but Seto stepped into Nodoka's way and she jumped back. "I ain't touchin' him just to beat you down Mai. Don't know what kind of diseases he's got now." Nodoka just went back to her seat and sat down. Mai and Seto did the same.  
  
"Well," said Jerry. "Nodoka, I hear your best friend is Mira. And she's pregnant now?"  
  
"Yea," growled Nodoka. She crossed her legs. "What of it?"  
  
"You two were separated for a while because your relationship fell apart because of a man, right?"  
  
"Hey, it's her fault for getting knocked up," said Nodoka. "Not mine."  
  
"Can we bring out the soon to be Mira Wheeler?" said Jerry.  
  
Mira walked out and took a seat next to Nodoka, who scooted her chair back a bit. "Hiya Jerry!" said Mira in a cheerful tone.  
  
Nodoka shouted, "Why don't you just bring out the whole city of Domino! The show's only an hour long!" She crossed her arms.  
  
Jerry shrugged. "Well," he said into the microphone. "Can we bring out Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Taylor, Ms. Wheeler, Mr. Mutou, Ms. Gardner, Mr. Bakura, Mr. Mason, and Mr. Kaiba?"  
  
Nodoka jumped to her feet. "HOLY CRAP! I WAS JUST FRICKING KIDDING JERRY!"  
  
Joey walked out and went straight to Mira where he took a seat. Tristan and Serenity went to Nodoka's side of the stage and took a seat. Yugi and Téa sat next to each other on the other side of Tristan. Bakura walked in and sat next to Téa.  
  
When Terran entered, he walked over to a chair, lifted it and set it on Nodoka's left side, he then sat down and crossed his arms.  
  
Then suddenly the teenager Mokuba ran out and tackled Nodoka to the floor. When she sat up, she rubbed her head and then hugged the young Kaiba. The two stood up and Mokuba sat in a chair that was placed on Nodoka's right side.  
  
Seto turned to Mokuba. "Sit up closer next to me," he said.  
  
"Hell no!" responded Mokuba.  
  
The elder Kaiba's eyes widened and he said, "What? Why?"  
  
"Because I. . . I. . ." Mokuba looked down at the floor. "Because I love Nodoka."  
  
"Eh?" Nodoka and Seto said at the same time. The crowd was silent.  
  
Mokuba turned to look at Nodoka. "I'm sorry," he said. "But Nodoka I used to want you to be with Seto! But that was so long ago!" Nodoka's eyes were wide and she was startled. Then Mokuba winked and she understood. He then hugged her. "Please give me a chance Nodoka."  
  
"Um Mokuba. . . it's not that I don't like you. . . it's just that. . ." before she could finish her sentence Terran interrupted.  
  
"Nodoka can't," he said softly.  
  
Mokuba got up. "Why not?" he growled to Terran.  
  
"Because, she's marrying. . ."  
  
Just as Terran was going to finish, Bakura stood up. "Me," he said.  
  
Everyone looked awkwardly to Bakura. Nodoka froze and fell over. Seto stood up. "You can't marry Nodoka!" he shouted.  
  
Nodoka looked up. "I don't see why not," she said, standing. "I mean," she paused for a second. "Joey's with Mira, Tristan's got Serenity, Yugi and Téa are together. . . I think, Seto, you've got Mai. . ." she was about to say more when Mokuba nodded.  
  
"I'll live," said Mokuba, he then shrugged. He then looked to Terran. "And he's probably gay."  
  
Terran growled and got up. "I am not!"  
  
"Denial," Mokuba said.  
  
Terran sat back down. "Just you wait, you little shaggy rat, I know where you live," he growled.  
  
Seto turned to Terran. "You lay one hand on my brother I swear I'll kill you."  
  
Standing up the unofficially hired bodyguard said, "You can go ahead and try, nancy-boy."  
  
"Kaiba, Terran!" growled Nodoka. "Settle the heck down!" She then put her hands in her pockets.  
  
Bakura walked over to Nodoka. "I know," he said. "That you've been hurt." He looked to Seto. "Mentally and physically by that insolent fool, but let me try and heal things." He winked, and smiled.  
  
"It's like a soap opera," Jerry said. "Nodoka's the whore one who's been around the block many times."  
  
After hearing this, Nodoka dropped down and took off her shoe. She then stood back up. "Eat my shoe!" She went to throw it at Jerry but those near her held her back.  
  
After the show had ended, the group walked out of the studio laughing so much. "That was great!" Bakura said.  
  
"Yeah," shouted Mokuba. "It was so funny when everyone started claiming that Mira's baby was theirs."  
  
Nodoka looked to Tristan. "Yours was the most convincing!"  
  
After Nodoka had threatened Jerry with the shoe, Joey had said something about Mira's baby, and then that's when all of the other guys, including Mokuba began to claim that they were with Mira. Mira then beat them all with a chair.  
  
Seto said, "Mason, you know of a good place around here to get something to drink?"  
  
"Like a beer?" Terran asked.  
  
"We deserve it!" Tristan shouted.  
  
And so from there they went around Chicago, Illinois looking for a bar.  
  
(A/N: Very awkward chapter? Just wait until they get to the bar next chapter. Well, I must go play FFX-2 now, oh happy days! Yeah!) 


	17. P3: A Rhyming Drunkard

Chapter 3  
A Rhyming Drunkard  
  
Late at night in a large bar, the gang hung around. Mokuba, Serenity, Mira, Téa and Yugi didn't drink. Everyone else did though. Nodoka went crazy on the shots; she was going to live it up back in the States. She loved this place; it made her forget all about her home in Japan, her worries and everything else that just boggles the mind.  
  
Suddenly, Nodoka got up with her drink and walked around. Everyone looked at her as she walked over to Seto. She was grinning like an idiot. "Hello Seto," she said.  
  
"Um, hi Nodoka," he paused for a while. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Hm, perfectly fine, just peachy!" she smiled. She then looked at the fingers on her right hand and took a drink from the glass in her left hand. "I had no idea there were so many moving things on this moving thing!" she laughed. They all glanced at her. "Google-di-glop!" said Nodoka.  
  
Terran approached the drunkard. "Nodoka, sit down, you're polluted!"  
  
Nodoka tried to retaliate but just spun around and said, "My air is perfectly fine!" She turned to Seto and set her glass down on the table, and leaning towards him, she said, "Love may be beautiful, love may be bliss, but I only slept with you 'cause I was pissed."  
  
A confused look came over Seto's face. "But Nodoka, we never slept with each other."  
  
She ignored him and leaned in closer. "Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet and so are you. But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead, the sugar bowl's empty and so is your head!"  
  
Not one person of the group could keep from laughing, except Seto, who still had an awkward look on his face.  
  
Terran pulled Nodoka back to her seat. "Alright, sit down, have another drink!"  
  
She took Terran's drink and gulped it down, and then once more she stood up and walked around. "Of loving beauty you float with grace, if only I could hide your face!" she said. Terran laughed. Nodoka's attack was directed directly to Seto. "Kind, intelligent, loving and hot, this describes everything you are not."  
  
Seto stood up. "I think you've had too much to drink Nodoka."  
  
Mokuba spoke up. "She can't go home, we live in Japan!" he said.  
  
Walking over to Seto, Nodoka said, "I love your smile, you face, and your eyes. Damn I'm good at telling lies!"  
  
Seto growled. "Will you just shut up?"  
  
Walking past Seto and looking Mokuba, she said, "I saw your face as I walked by, but then I saw a better guy!" She poked Seto in the shoulder and said. "I see your face when I am dreaming, that's why I always wake up screaming."  
  
"Where is she getting this stuff?" Yugi said while laughing.  
  
"Who knows?" Téa laughed.  
  
Skipping around the bar, Nodoka laughed, "My feelings for you no words can tell. Except for maybe 'go to hell'!"  
  
"That was a burn," Mokuba said.  
  
Going over to Mokuba she looked to Seto and said, "I thought that I could love no other, until, that is, I met your brother!"  
  
Mokuba looked up to Nodoka with a confused look on his face, he was blushing.  
  
Then, walking to a pool table, she climbed on it and shouted out, "What inspired this anonymous rhyme? Two parts vodka one part lime!" She indicated the numbers two and one with her fingers and fainted.  
  
Later that day, Nodoka awoke in a hotel bed. All she heard was talking, but it was all mashed together, so she said the first thing that came to her mind. "What's my crime judge? Have I hit rock bottom? Or are my pants just missing?"  
  
The gang looked to her awkwardly. "Is she alright?" Bakura asked.  
  
"I don't think so," said Terran, who sat in a chair in the corner. He then snorted, "If Kaiba wasn't such a cheapskate, we would all have our own rooms. but no. " Terran sighed and crossed his arms.  
  
Nodoka rolled over. "Chief Red-corn!" she shouted. "The monkeys have escaped!"  
  
Mokuba, sitting on the table, looked to Nodoka in a startled manner. "I think she's really drunk."  
  
"That's a possibility," said Mira.  
  
Suddenly Nodoka shouted, "Fly away my crimson spaniel! Take heed of my warning and avoid the vegetables!"  
  
"Um," Joey said. Everyone looked awkwardly at each other.  
  
The drunken girl curled up on the bed and all was quiet. Nothing else was said that night. Nodoka was out like a light, and everyone else found a place to sleep in that one tiny room, while Seto and Mai had another room. Mokuba had refused to sleep in the same room as his brother, he wanted to make sure Nodoka was going to be okay since she did roll off of the pool table earlier in the night.  
  
The next morning, Nodoka woke up with such a headache that it was unbearable. She stood up groggily and made her way to the bathroom. Limply, she lifted her hand and knocked on the door. "Is anyone in there?" she asked.  
  
There wasn't a response. So she went in and locked the door. When she exited the bathroom, thirty minutes later after taking a shower, everyone was still asleep. She climbed back into bed and curled up once more, trying to sleep away her hangover.  
  
When everyone was awake later in the day, Mokuba said, "So Nodoka, how're you?"  
  
Nodoka responded by saying, "Haven't been hunted yet."  
  
Everyone looked awkwardly to Nodoka. "You still drunk?" Seto asked, standing in the doorway.  
  
"There's a possibility of that, and a possibility of evil as well," Nodoka sat on the edge of the bed. Slowly she stood up and walked over to Seto. "I'm really sorry that I said those things last night."  
  
"Yeah, whatever," growled Seto, who then turned around and walked out of the door.  
  
Nodoka sighed. "Apparently apologies go unnoticed." Turning around to the others she said, "Well, that's a kick in the pants."  
  
(A/N: Yay! Another chapter! Okay, there's another chapter on the way! Hoorah!) 


	18. P3: Love at Last?

Chapter 4  
Love at Last?  
  
The next day, Nodoka awoke on the hotel bed once more. She sat up and looked around, no one was there. In her hand she found a note. She unfolded it and began to read. It was written by Terran saying that the rest of them went out to eat lunch and would be back soon. Nodoka sighed and then yelped when her pager went off. She pulled it from the side of her pants and looked at it. It was her boss.  
  
Nodoka picked up the phone next to the bed and called her boss. "Yo," she said when he answered.  
  
"Nodoka!" growled her boss. "Where have you been? You were supposed to have the story on Seto Kaiba's marriage on my desk by today."  
  
"Sorry! I don't want to do the story!" said Nodoka. "Seto, he's well. . ." Nodoka paused for a long moment. She didn't know what Seto was to her anymore.  
  
"Nodoka?"  
  
Nodoka shook her head. "Yeah," she responded. She rubbed her head and continued. "Sorry I just started thinking."  
  
"Are you going to get me that story, or not?"  
  
As much as Nodoka wanted to, she equally didn't want to do the story. "I can't."  
  
"Figured as much," said her boss. "Well then, I want you to get an interview with an idol singer named Arian Kitone."  
  
"Alright, where and when?"  
  
"Saturday," said Nodoka's boss. "In Dallas, Texas."  
  
"But Saturday is in two days!"  
  
"Hurry up then," and with that her boss hung up.  
  
Nodoka set down the phone. She shook her head and took out a small pencil. On the back of the note she had gotten from Terran, she wrote 'Hey, I got work to do, don't worry. I'll see ya when I see ya. And Seto, I'll pay you back for the phone call. Bye, and sorry again.' And with that, Nodoka placed the note by the phone and left the hotel.  
  
When the others got back to the hotel, Terran immediately found the note and read it aloud. Mokuba was the most upset of them all. "She just left us?" he growled.  
  
Nodoka went to the airport and waited for her flight. Her boss had already bought her the ticket, she had gotten it, all that was left was to get on the plane and go to Dallas. When she got there, she stayed in another hotel and before she went to bed she decided to watch a bit of TV.  
  
Changing the channels, Nodoka stopped when she saw a picture of Seto. "On other news," said the reporter. "Seto Kaiba is getting married. To who?" The picture changed. "To this lady, Ms. Mai Valentine. Sorry ladies, this rich heart-throb of the world is now taken and off limits!" Then the reporter squinted her eyes. "This means you Nodoka."  
  
Nodoka twitched awkwardly and shook her head. She thought to herself that maybe it was just her mind playing tricks on her. Yet when she changed the channel to another new station, the reporter there was talking about the reporter on the other channel naming out someone named Nodoka.  
  
Shaking her head, Nodoka turned off the television and went to bed. She didn't change her clothes; she even kept her shoes on. Even the next day, with the exception of eating, Nodoka stayed in the hotel. She checked through the closet and found a package with her name on it. She took it to the table and opened it. It had been sent from her boss. It was the equipment she had left back in Domino before she went on vacation, and a new outfit.  
  
Friday passed slowly. On Saturday, Nodoka got ready, and looking professional, she went to where the concert was going to be held. When the singer Arian appeared. Nodoka pulled out her note pad and got as close as possible. "Ms. Kitone!" she said. "Ms. Kitone! A few questions please?" Nodoka said.  
  
The singer with dark brown hair and hazel eyes turned to Nodoka. "Okay, sure," she said.  
  
"Excellent," Nodoka whispered to herself. "Ms. Kitone, what exactly sparked your interest into becoming a singer?"  
  
Arian laughed. "Well, it was my sister. My sister just seemed so interested in singing, and then after she died, I didn't want to give her up. So I took my brother and his band, which at the time was my sister's band and we started up."  
  
"So, you're fulfilling you're sister's dream?" asked Nodoka.  
  
"Yeah, basically," said Arian. More questions were asked and then the singer left. Nodoka had all that she needed for her report in the paper so everything was okay.  
  
That night, after retrieving her belongings from the hotel room, Nodoka went to the airport and left for Domino. Upon arriving in Domino, Nodoka caught a cab to take her home. The weather was cold and Nodoka, still in a skirt and dressed up from her interview, was having a hard time keeping warm.  
  
When the cab stopped infront of her house. She stepped out and walked over to the cab driver's door. He told her the cost but when she reached into her purse, she heard from behind, "I got it."  
  
Nodoka turned around and Seto walked over to the cab driver. He paid her fair and the cab then left. Nodoka looked to Seto. "Thank you," she said. "I guess I owe you for the phone call in the hotel and the cab fair."  
  
"No, it's alright," he responded.  
  
Nodoka nodded and then walked up to the front door. Seto stayed in the street. Turning around, Nodoka said, "Do you want to come in for a while?" Kaiba nodded and followed her inside the house. After closing the door behind Seto, the reporter went to the heater and turned it on. She stood infront of the heater and took off the jacket of her suit. "It's so cold," she whispered. She walked up the stairs and into her room where she changed into a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt.  
  
"Nodoka?" whispered Seto when Nodoka left her room and was coming down the stairs.  
  
"Sorry," she said. "I look like crap." She placed her hair back into a low ponytail. She stopped and then looked to Seto. "What is it?"  
  
Seto walked over to Nodoka and placed his left hand under her chin. He lifted her face so that their eyes met and he leaned down to kiss her, but Nodoka turned her head. She closed her eyes and a silent tear fell from each of her eyes. "Arilana?"  
  
Nodoka's eyes opened suddenly. They were watery but no more tears fell. "Seto?" she whispered. She turned her head and looked him in the eyes. "Please don't kiss me," she said.  
  
Seto blinked and then looked at her questioningly. "Nodoka," he whispered. "I'm a free man." He turned around and walked to the archway that led to the living room. "Mai was watching the news and when she heard that announcement from that one reporter, she said she never wanted to see me again, like she was embarrassed to be with me."  
  
"So you come to me? I'm second, huh?" Nodoka crossed her arms and her eyes fell to the floor.  
  
Seto spun around. "Nodoka! Look, you weren't second! You never were!" He paused and looked away. "When you left for you job and left me, I didn't know what to do. I thought you were never coming back." He sighed and then looked back to Nodoka. "Arilana. If you don't want me, then I'll leave. I'll never bother you again."  
  
"Then go," she whispered, still not looking up at him.  
  
Seto nodded and without a word, walked over to the door. He opened it and just as he was about to take a step outside, Nodoka's arms wrapped around him and he stood still in the doorway. "I thought you said. . ." Seto began to say.  
  
Nodoka interrupted and mumbled, "I lied."  
  
"I'm glad."  
  
Stepping backward, Nodoka dragged him out of the doorway and Seto closed the door. She then let him go and he turned around. Nodoka jumped up and wrapped her arms around the blue-eyed man's neck and hugged him. Seto wrapped his arms around Nodoka and held her close. The reporter looked directly into Seto's eyes and kissed him. When they broke the kiss, she whispered, "Please don't leave me."  
  
"I promise I won't," Seto whispered back and kissed her on the forehead.  
  
The next morning Nodoka awoke and everything from the previous night seemed like a dream. She sat up and rubbed her head. Looking around her room, no one was there. She laughed and thought of what Seto said, 'I promise I won't'. She smirked and realized how stupid that sounded coming from the CEO of a multimillion-dollar corporation. She got out of bed and went to take a shower. When she got out, she put on her bathrobe and went downstairs. When she turned to the living room, she spotted Seto asleep on the couch.  
  
Nodoka shook her head again. "Just a dream," she whispered to herself. "After I make coffee and fully wake up, he probably won't be here." She walked into the kitchen and began to make a pot of coffee. From there, she cleaned up the kitchen and then rested for a few minutes while she sat on the counter.  
  
Seto sat up on the couch. "Nodoka? Are you making coffee?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," she said. She still kept wondering if this was all a dream.  
  
Standing up, Seto went to the kitchen and stood in front of Nodoka. "Mind if I have some?"  
  
"Um, go ahead," responded Nodoka.  
  
Seto walked over to the coffee pot and then looked around. He saw a few styrofoam cups and grabbed one.  
  
"You can use a mug if you want," said Nodoka, tapping the cabinet behind her left shoulder.  
  
Seto shook his head and then took a sip of the coffee. He set down the cup and walked over to her. He stood before her and moved in between her legs to lean forward against the counter. "Nodoka?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"How many times, have you been shot?" he asked.  
  
Pondering for a while, the girl responded, "Three I think." She pause and then counted. "Once by 'Kuba, then Mai, and before those," she paused. "Screw it, I don't know."  
  
Seto smiled, "People aren't meant to remember those things, ya know?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Leaning forward a bit more, Seto's lips met with Nodoka's. He pulled her close and when the kiss broke, they continued to hug, neither wanting to let go. Yet they had to when a knock came at the door. Nodoka ran her fingers through Seto's brown hair and then moved him to the side with her legs and jumped off of the counter. She walked over to the door and opened it.  
  
Terran stood there in his black leather jacket. "Thanks for locking me out last night," he mumbled.  
  
"Oh! Terran! I'm so sorry!" she said.  
  
Seto walked from the kitchen to stand behind Nodoka. "Sorry Mason, that was my fault."  
  
Upon seeing Seto, Terran's right arm twitched. "What are you doing here, Kaiba?" growled the self-hired bodyguard.  
  
To try and lighten the mood, Nodoka said, "Hey, I've got an idea." Seto and Terran looked awkwardly to her and she said, "Let's have a party!"  
  
"A what?" said the two guys in a shocked manner.  
  
"A party!" Leaning against the doorway, she said, "Like a sleepover. We invite all of our friends and have a huge party."  
  
Setting his weight against the opposite part of the doorframe, Seto looked down and mumbled, "Do we have to invite Yugi? And Joey?" And cringing, he added, "And Téa."  
  
"Yes," replied Nodoka.  
  
"Damn."  
  
Terran pushed Seto out of the way and entered the house. Nodoka followed him and then sat on the stairs. "Terran, there's some coffee in the kitchen."  
  
"Woohoo!" he shouted and ran of into the kitchen.  
  
Seto walked over and sat next to the reporter. "So you're having a party?" Nodoka nodded in response. "Am I invited?"  
  
Turning her head and looking to Seto with an annoyed look on her face she said plainly. "Of course you are, stupid." Seto smiled and then hugged her.  
  
When Terran walked back into the room, the CEO practically jumped to the other side of the stairwell. Terran had an awkward look on his face. "Okay. what's goin on here?"  
  
"Notta. . . Why Terran, what's wrong?" Nodoka asked as she leaned backward on the stairs.  
  
The American shook his head and walked back to the living room. He sat down and turned on the TV. "So you're having a party, huh?" he asked.  
  
"Most likely, if it's alright with you," responded Nodoka.  
  
Terran looked to her from the couch. "If it's alright with me? You own the house," he mumbled.  
  
"But you live here too," sighed Nodoka as she looked up at the ceiling.  
  
"I do?"  
  
"Yes Terran, you do." Standing from the stairs, she stretched vertically and popped her joints.  
  
Terran set his coffee cup on the little table and stood up. He walked over to the archway that led into the room Nodoka was in. He leaned against the wall and said, "Well Nodie, let's party!"  
  
"Nodie?" Nodoka mumbled questioningly. "That's the worst nickname ever." The two guys kind of chuckled.  
  
Later that day, Terran went out to gather up the group who was to come to the party that night. While Nodoka and Seto, on the other hand, sat on the couch and embraced as they watched TV. They knew they were going to have to keep from everyone that they were together; or, would they just let everyone come to their own conclusions. They didn't really care much anymore, since after all, they were pretty much together now.  
  
(A/N: Okay, that's it for this chapter. Thank you to all of you who have reviewed, it's been a pleasure writing for you all. So I'll keep on going as long as you all keep on reviewing. Thanks a lot. I'll have the next chapter up soon.  
  
Nodoka: There's more of this crap coming?  
  
Acri: Yes, deal with it.) 


	19. P3: Truth or Dare?

Chapter 5  
Truth or Dare?  
  
That night, when the group was all there, Nodoka moved the furniture out of the way and set up sleeping bags. Seto sat on the floor near the left side of the television. Nodoka, Mokuba sitting between her legs shuffling a deck of cards, sat across from the elder Kaiba. Joey and his soon to be wife, sat at Nodoka's right. Tristan and Serenity sat next to Joey, and Yugi, Téa, and Bakura sat at her left.  
  
"Who's up for a game?" Mokuba asked, shifting the cards and doing a few quick tricks.  
  
"What's the game?" his older brother asked.  
  
Looking to the people around him, Mokuba smirked and said, "Strip poker?"  
  
Grabbing her pillow, Nodoka brought it up and whacked the young Kaiba on the head. "Mokuba! You know I suck at poker, you little monkey!" she laughed.  
  
Téa then said, "What about um..." she thought for a second and said, "let's not play a game with cards."  
  
"How about truth or dare?" mentioned Serenity, "Nothing really bad happens from that."  
  
Everyone agreed and then said that Joey should start. Joey looked at them like they were all deeply disturbed and then thought for a second. "Okay," he said. "Téa truth or dare?"  
  
The girl responded, "Truth."  
  
The blonde haired boy thought for a moment and then said, "Téa, do you like Yugi?"  
  
Téa twitched for a slight second, blushed and then said, "Yes."  
  
Looking to Téa, Yugi smiled, and she smiled back. Téa then looked to the young Kaiba in Nodoka's arms. "Mokuba, truth or dare?"  
  
"Dare," Mokuba said in less than a split second.  
  
"I dare you to act like a monkey for the next two minutes," said Téa.  
  
"Damn," growled Nodoka as Mokuba got up and started jumping around.  
  
During the time allotted, the young Kaiba bounced over to Joey and started making noises and acting like he was picking bugs from the duelist's hair. He then bounded over to his brother and tackled him to the gray carpet. The whole time, Nodoka laughed, as did everyone else, including Seto.  
  
When it was Mokuba's turn, he sat back in his place and looked up at Nodoka. "Yo, truth or dare?" he said to her.  
  
"Um... Truth," she said smiling.  
  
"Are you in love?"  
  
Nodoka blinked for a second and then said, "Yes."  
  
Crawling forward a bit, Mira said, "Really? With who?"  
  
Retaliating calmly, Nodoka said, "It's not your turn Mira." Smiling, she looked to Tristan. "Truth or dare?"  
  
"Dare," he said.  
  
"Tristan, I dare you to do your best impression of Seto," said Nodoka.  
  
"Oh shit," growled Tristan. He stood up and walked off into the bathroom. When he came back, he had a few towels tied together and safety-pinned to the bottom of his jacket. Then he walked out with Nodoka's portable fan and set it on the ground. He turned it on and stood in front of it. The air kicked up the towels, making them billow. He then crossed his arms and stood proudly. "Yugi," Tristan said in a deep slightly raspy voice. "I challenge you to a duel!" He then turned around. "Mokuba, come on! We're leaving, before the stupidity of these people rub off on us and we begin to act asinine." He then took long strides as he walked over to the front door and opened it.  
  
"I want my towels back!" Nodoka shouted to him.  
  
Laughing, Tristan turned back around, closed the door and walked back to the group. "Yeah, sure, like I'm gonna wear towels outside," he laughed and walked back into the restroom. When he came out, he sat back down and then looked to Seto. "Hey, Kaiba, truth or dare?"  
  
"Dare," responded Seto.  
  
"I dare you to go to the kitchen and put a tray of ice down your pants," Tristan said with a smug grin on his face.  
  
Grumbling something incoherently, Seto stood and walked into the kitchen. "This sucks," he said.  
  
"Memo to self, buy new ice trays," said Nodoka aloud.  
  
He opened the freezer and took out a blue tray. He twisted the tray and then pulled the waist of his pants out and poured the frozen water down his trousers. The tray dropped to the floor and the CEO slammed the freezer door. He then jumped up and down. "My god! It's so cold!" he shouted.  
  
Trying as hard as ever, Nodoka was trying not to laugh, but it was almost impossible, the same with everyone else. After the good long laugh, it was Seto's turn. He looked directly to Nodoka and said, "Truth or Dare."  
  
Simply, Nodoka replied, "Dare."  
  
Seto smirked mischievously and said, "I dare you to kiss me."  
  
Nodoka looked quizzically to everyone who seemed to snicker or smirk in an odd way. She sighed and said, "I knew I should've said truth." Mokuba moved from her lap and she stood up. Nodoka walked over to the blue-eyed Kaiba and knelt at his side. Placing her right hand on his cheek, she leaned forward and kissed him. Afterward, she went back to her place and the teenage Mokuba sat in her lap again.  
  
The group looked to Nodoka and then to Seto, who was blushing. Nodoka put her head on Mokuba's head and closed her eyes, she didn't blush or show any sign of enjoying it, but on the inside, she was smiling.  
  
Without opening her eyes, Nodoka asked, "Bakura, truth or dare?"  
  
Bakura jumped a bit and then looked to the reporter. "Um..." he paused for a second. "Dare."  
  
"Take your sleeping bag and ride it down the stairs," she said.  
  
"Oh fun!" laughed Bakura. He pulled his sleeping bag from under himself and toppled backward. Running up the stairs, he stopped at the top and set down the bag. Be sat at the back and pulled up the front end. Then, scooting forward, he flew down the stairs on the slick sleeping bag and then toppled on the floor. He laughed and then looked at everyone with a slightly surprised look on his face.  
  
At that, everyone busted out laughing. The rest of the night, the rest of them were riding sleeping bags down the stairs. One person, two, even three people at a time, and it all sparked from a small game of truth or dare. And even though Yugi, Mira, and Serenity didn't get to go, they were on the flip side, extremely happy that they didn't have to go. 


	20. P3: Another Hurdle

(A/N: Okay, I wanna own Seto, but I only get to have claims over Terra, Mira, and of course, Nodoka)  
  
Chapter 6  
Another Hurdle  
  
The next day, after everyone left, Nodoka cleaned up the house. When Terran walked in, she looked at him a bit awkwardly. "You weren't here last night, what happened to you?" she asked. He shook his head and sat down on the couch. "Terran? Are you okay?"  
  
"I got a graveyard shift at my new job. It's not that much fun, sorry I couldn't make it," he said.  
  
"I'm sorry Terran," she said. "Well, feel free to feed yourself; my house is your house." When she was done cleaning, she cooked something for herself and Terran to eat. When they were done, Nodoka cleaned the kitchen and then sat down to watch some television.  
  
A few moments later, a knock came at the door. Nodoka walked over and answered it. It was her reporter friend, Zephyr. "Hiya," she said to him.  
  
"Nodoka, we've gotta talk," he said. Nodoka moved to the side and he entered the house.  
  
"What is it?" she asked.  
  
"You know that 'Kaiba in a dog suit' thing?" he asked.  
  
She nodded. "What of it?"  
  
"I was wondering if that could happen really soon. I'm on the verge of losing my job if I don't come up with a story in the next few days. Please Nodoka. I need your help."  
  
Feeling bad for Seto, but even worse for Zephyr, she nodded. "I'll see what I can do. Don't speak a word of this to anyone at this moment, I'm not sure I can make it happen."  
  
"I promise!" said Zephyr. "On my job, I won't say a thing to anyone!"  
  
When the reporter left, Nodoka looked at the now sleeping Terran and walked over to the phone. Picking it up, she dialed Seto's number. "I need a favor," she said when he answered the phone.  
  
"Sure, anything," the elder Kaiba responded.  
  
"You remember the bet we made about the dog suit?"  
  
"Anything but that," he said.  
  
"Seto! Please! My friend is going to lose his job if you don't."  
  
"No way! I'm not gonna embarrass myself because some idiot can't come up with a better story line!"  
  
"But Seto!"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"We made a bet on it... and I won," she said in a serious tone.  
  
"Damn it Nodoka!"  
  
"We made a bet!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
At the same time, they slammed down the phone. Nodoka then walked over and began cleaning up the semi-fancy dining room to the left of the stairway in another room. There was an old chandelier that she dusted and then she cleaned the table and everything else.  
  
When that was done, she called up Bakura, Téa, Joey, Mira, Tristan, Yugi, and Mokuba. The five other people who would be there would include Serenity, Yugi's Grandpa, Zephyr, and his two crewmembers Nathan and Sakura.  
  
That night, when everyone that was supposed to arrive was there, Seto stood in the bathroom, contemplating everything. "She's finally getting me back for being an asshole," he said to himself.  
  
Using Seto's money, dinner was served, a grand four-course meal from one of the best restaurants in area. Everyone was dressed in semi-formal wear. This, after all, was a momentous occasion.  
  
Nodoka stood from the table after eating and walked into the upstairs bathroom where Seto was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, wearing the dog suit. "You all right?" she asked him, trying to keep herself from laughing.  
  
"Yeah, yeah," he said, his hand propping up his head.  
  
"Sorry," she whispered. "I wouldn't have done this if Zephyr wasn't in trouble," she said.  
  
"I don't see why I have to wear the dog suit," he grumbled.  
  
"Because you lost the bet."  
  
"Well," Seto stood up and continued, "what if we give him another story than me in a dog suit?"  
  
Leaning against the sink in her black dress, Nodoka said, "Like what?"  
  
"Go downstairs, I'll show you the other story once I get out of this thing..." He reached for the zipper in the back and ended up falling into the empty tub.  
  
Nodoka nodded and laughed and then went downstairs.  
  
"Where's dog-boy?" Joey asked when he saw Nodoka coming down.  
  
Shrugging, Nodoka said, "He told me he had a story that would be better than him in a dog suit."  
  
"He's gonna run," said Téa, sighing.  
  
"Ya think so?" asked Nodoka, sitting back down in her seat between Mokuba and Terran.  
  
When Seto came downstairs, he was in his regular clothes, including the famous white trench coat. He stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked to Nodoka. She sighed, got up and walked over to him.  
  
"So what's this new story?" asked Mokuba.  
  
Seto looked to his brother, smiled and then looked to Nodoka. "Here's the story," he said. He knelt down and pulled a black velvet box from his pocket. Opening it, he said, "Arilana Nodoka, will you marry me?"  
  
Everyone's attention suddenly snapped to Seto. Not a word was spoken. Nodoka looked down at Seto, her eyes wide and her cheeks red. Zephyr and his crew stood there, catching the whole thing on video.  
  
The silence stood there in the room for what seemed like forever. Then Nodoka smiled and said, "Yes." Seto jumped to his feet and hugged her. He spun himself and her in circles and when he stopped, he kissed her and hugged her more.  
  
The entire table cheered, as did the reporter and his crewmembers. Everyone was happy about the 'story' that took place that night. Especially Zephyr, he got to keep his job. 


	21. P3: A Wedding and a Half

(A/N: This is the last chapter of this story! Enjoy!)  
  
Chapter 7  
A Wedding and a Half  
  
As that week went on, everything was great, but then, Nodoka began to think. She completely stopped thinking about her own wedding, and started to think about Mira. As the reporter sat in her own living room, she kept thinking of how Mira and Joey wanted to be married so badly.  
  
Getting a new thought in her head, she ran over to the phone and picked it up. She called Mira up. "Hey," she said loudly. "I have a gift for you. It's big so it's gonna be your birthday, Christmas, and any other gift I would give you this year, okay?"  
  
"Um... okay..." Mira replied softly. Then her tone changed and she said excitedly, "So when do I get it?"  
  
"I'll call you when it's ready, so don't get all jumpy. I gotta go now... bye!" she said and hung up the phone quickly. She then ran to her bedroom and came down with her bicycle. She put on her shoes, and went out the door, closing it behind her.  
  
She rode down to the Kaiba Mansion and punched the button on the intercom. "Hello?" came the sleepy voice of Mokuba.  
  
"Hey! 'Kuba! Lemmie in, I gotta talk to your big bro," Nodoka said to the young man.  
  
"He's at work," Mokuba replied. "I don't think he'd have a problem with you stopping by..."  
  
"All right," she said. "I'll do that... bye 'Kuba." She then left the gate and peddled down to her fiancé's corporation. Arriving at the front, she chained her bike to the fence and ran inside. Going up to the front desk, she looked to the woman. "Excuse me, I wish to speak with Mr. Kaiba, please," she said.  
  
"I'm sorry," replied the woman, "He's in a meeting. Please give me your name and I'll have him get to you afterward."  
  
Scratching her head lightly, the brown-haired Nodoka whispered, "Um... okay... Well, just tell him that Arilana stopped by."  
  
Nodoka turned to walk away but the secretary stopped her, "Wait, Ms. Nodoka? He told me to send you up there if you ever stopped by," she said. She pulled out a small orange card. "Take this and use the elevator, head to the top, ma'am."  
  
"Thank you," Nodoka said and took the card from the woman. She then did as the lady had said and went to the top by using the elevator. When she got up there, she walked through the door and looked around the room, extremely confused on what she was supposed to do.  
  
When Seto walked around the corner and looked to his bride-to-be. "When did you get here?" he asked.  
  
"Three seconds ago?" Nodoka responded, adding a shrug to her words. Crossing her arms, she said, "Hey, aren't you supposed to be in a meeting?"  
  
Seto laughed, "I have my secretary tell everyone that. There are a lot of annoying people who want to talk with me, or duel me for no apparent reason." He sighed and shook his head and then walked over to Nodoka, wrapping his arms around her. "So, why'd you stop by?" he whispered in her ear.  
  
"Because I have a favor to ask of you," Nodoka replied just as softly.  
  
"Then ask away," he said.  
  
Pushing back away from Seto, she looked him in the eyes with a sort of pleading look. "Pay for Mira and Joey's wedding."  
  
"What?" Seto growled, stepping back. "No way!"  
  
"Seto! You have the money! Be generous for once!" Nodoka pleaded to the blue-eyed man as he began to walk away from her.  
  
He turned to look at her as she stared down at the floor; she seemed weak in his eyes at the moment. "Why do you want this for them so much?" he growled slightly.  
  
"Because they are not as fortunate as you," Nodoka replied. "They're expecting a child, working, going to school. It doesn't come as easily for them as it does to you."  
  
Seto walked over to the wall and placed his forehead on it. "Would it make you happy if they're married?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Fine then... I'll pay for it..."  
  
Running over to Seto, Nodoka spun him around quickly and kissed him. She then put her arms around him and hugged him tightly. "Thank you Seto!" she said and kissed him again.  
  
The CEO pulled out his wallet and handed it to her. "Here," he said, "Don't spend too much."  
  
"I won't," she said and then kissed him on the cheek and left the building. She went home and called up Mira and Joey.  
  
A few hours later, she had the two fitting on formal wear for Nodoka's wedding, afterward Nodoka told the people to take the same measurements and put them to wedding clothes.  
  
That night, as Nodoka lay in her bed, and everything was completed, she began to fall asleep. Just as she was nodding off, a knock came at her front door. She crawled out of bed and walked down the steps, rubbing her eyes. She opened the door slowly. "Hello?"  
  
Standing there with a sleepy expression on his face was Seto. Nodoka showed him in and over to the couch. "Did you just get off of work?" she asked him, bringing him a glass of water.  
  
"Yeah," replied Seto as he took a sip and laid down on the couch. Loudly, his stomach growled and he looked to Nodoka in a nervous kind of way.  
  
Patting him on the shoulder, she said, "I'll make you something." She then walked into the kitchen and took about forty-five minutes making a casserole. It was a little past midnight when they ate. The house was completely silent.  
  
When both of them were done, Nodoka washed the dishes and Seto stood next to her, his back against the counter. After their food had settled, they sat down on the couch to watch TV, yet ended up falling asleep in each other's arms.  
  
The next morning, Seto awoke alone, his wallet on the table, along with a note telling him to be ready for Mira's wedding at two in the afternoon, which at the moment, it was twelve.  
  
Nodoka on the other hand had gathered Yugi and the others at the church; they were all ready for what was to come. The only problem now, was to get Mira and Joey there. But at two o'clock, everything quickly came together. Nodoka had called the two saying it was an emergency. And when they got there, they were blindfolded and taken to different rooms.  
  
Not knowing what was going on and feeling quite a bit frightened, Mira sat in a chair, her eyes still covered. Her hair and nails were done, as was her makeup. Then the salon women stood her up and they stepped her into her wedding dress.  
  
Joey on the other hand, kept fighting back. The women tied him to the chair as they did his hair and then fought with him even more to get him into his tuxedo. Afterward, Joey was walked up to the front of the church with his best men, Yugi, Tristan, and Bakura. When his blindfold was removed, he looked to them with an extremely confused expression and they just smiled back. Across the way was Serenity and Téa dressed in sleek lavender dresses and were holding a white rose.  
  
Quietly, the families of those up front arrived. Yugi waved to his grandfather, and Joey and Serenity to their mom and dad.  
  
Silently, Seto and Mokuba slipped in and stood in the back, they didn't know where to sit. Joey watched as Nodoka walked up to Kaiba and motioned him to sit on Joey's side, next to Terran, since Seto knew Yugi and the others more than Mira.  
  
Then the wedding march began to play. Mira was taken out of the room, her eyes still covered and the veil over her face. Nodoka walked over to her and hugged her, "Good luck," she whispered and then walked up the aisle to stand in her place as Mira's parents came to take the hands of their daughter.  
  
Even though she couldn't see them, Mira knew her parents were at her side, and the three began to walk. The people in the pews stood and smiled as the bride walked down the aisle and up to her groom. When they stopped, and the people sat, Mira's parents untied the blindfold and kissed their daughter on the cheek. They then smiled to Joey and went to take their seats.  
  
The bride and groom held hands and Mira looked to Nodoka who gave her the peace sign with her right hand and handed her the small bouquet of red and white roses that was made for the bride. In her left hand, Nodoka held her own white rose.  
  
No one objected to their being married, no one had a reason to do so. After they sealed their marriage with a kiss, they had their pictures taken and when they walked outside, their friends and families blew bubbles. A string was pulled to release flower petals into the wind, and two doves flew out with them. Mira threw the bouquet and after a slight scuffle, Serenity had it. The happy newlywed couple then entered a white limo and left the church, heading straight to their honeymoon, which they would find out when they arrived at the airport, was in New Zealand.  
  
As the group stood there on the steps of the church, waving good-bye until the limo was out of sight, Seto walked over to Nodoka and whispered in her ear, "Exactly how much did you spend on all of this?"  
  
Dropping her hand to her side Nodoka looked to Seto with an innocent expression on her face. "Maybe just a bit more than pocket change?" she said with a half laughing, half nervous tone in her voice.  
  
Mokuba then walked up to Nodoka. "I'd say quite a bit more than pocket change," he said, holding the bill in his hands. Seto took the bill from his younger brother and looked at it. His jaw dropped just a bit and he sighed and shook his head. "I can't blame you," he said to her. "Although, this will set us back a bit."  
  
"Sorry," Nodoka said, laughing a bit, "I couldn't help it, I just wanted the best for Mira."  
  
"It's okay, it's okay," the elder Kaiba said and then embraced his fiancé.  
  
Tristan walked up to the two and looked awkwardly at Seto. "You paid for this?" he asked, confused on the CEO's motive.  
  
"Yeah, but it was Arilana's choice," responded Seto in a cold tone. Nodoka then elbowed the elder Kaiba lightly in the stomach and he glanced down at her with a funny look.  
  
Then Nodoka stared blankly ahead. "This is just great..." she grumbled. "I barely respond to my first name and then my last name is gonna change." She sighed and shook her head.  
  
Everyone just laughed at Nodoka and she laughed with them.  
  
A month later, a while after Mira and Joey had come back, Nodoka and Seto were married. It was a small wedding where only the group consisting of Joey, Mira, Bakura, Serenity, Tristan, Téa, Yugi, Terran, and Mokuba were invited.  
  
And so the day ended on a good note. Arilana moved in with Seto, but she kept her own house, just for memories, and for Terran to stay at. Mira hadn't had her child yet, but she and Joey still ended up going to college, and Joey acquired a job at Kaiba Corp to help pay for it. Tristan and Serenity continued going out, Joey was a bit twitchy about that, but got over it. Yugi and Bakura taught Mokuba how to play Duel Monsters with more strategy than Seto used, and Téa continually schooled all three of them in Dance Dance Revolution. 


End file.
